I can’t lie. Movember has been a prickly month. Prickly because growing the hair on my top lip as Australian summer arrives is tough business. But nowhere near as tough as having one of the men in my life succumb to a preventable disease, suffer alone with depression, get hijacked by prostate or testicular cancer or make the choice to take his own life.
Three drivers have motivated me to keep growing the prickly face lace this Movember:
- Your generous donations. Since 2003, funds raised by Movember have supported 1,250 projects globally to research and improve men’s health issues. Movember has inspiring goals to meet through its donations, including to halve the number of deaths from prostate and testicular cancer, to halve the number of men experiencing mental and physical side effects from prostate and testicular cancer treatments and to cut male suicide rates by 25 per cent.
- The Infoblox Mo’ team. The Infoblox ANZ team participated in Movember with me and put in an outstanding fundraising effort. Our Mo Sista, Megan Bisson, pledged and walked 60 kms because mo’ growing isn’t her speciality. Why 60 kms? Because “60” represents how many men the world loses to suicide every hour of every day. James Wilson Jasper Chik Chris Baddeley Justin Lo James Ellerman Gabriel Khnanisho Mauran Tharmachandirar Simon Hoare Rob Partington and Sam Chee joined me in sprouting their own tea strainers. Our team efforts have raised $2,405. Together, we’re making a difference.
- My granddad and dad. Two of the most important men in my life developed, and fought, prostate cancer against the odds. My family and I are forever grateful for the experts, medicines and access to facilities which saved their lives. Knowing first-hand, what the battle against prostate cancer involves, it’s important to me to join movement that helps improve the detection, treatment and recovery rates for male cancers. While men will still die from cancers, awareness and funded research means we can help slow the rate.
I’m in two minds about my mo’ coming off today, but that doesn’t mean I’m filing the topic of men’s health away until Movember 2021. Clearly, men’s good health doesn’t stop and start around a fundraising campaign. My personal commitment is to have a focus on men’s health every day and I’d love for you to join me with three easy actions.
First, keep an eye on the men around you and, if you spot a bro’ who is feeling low, reach out. Second, be brave and start that awkward conversation about how you’re quietly freaking out about something mysterious happening inside your own body. Three, when a bloke starts telling you how he’s feeling, notice your own discomfort, then take a deep (quiet) breath and settle in to listen. Sometimes having a person there to simply listen can encourage someone close to you to choose a different fork in the road.
If you still want to donate before I make the final decision to shave or keep my Movember mo. Head over here and join me in making a real difference to men’s health, starting today: https://lnkd.in/gZxVYNr
