Men's Health Awareness Month

Every year we hear about Movember and some of us cringe at the thought of the men around us growing these crazy moustaches but what's the real message here and how can we get behind this cause.

For years men's health has not been openly discussed and many men suffer in silence as there hasn't been enough support for them. The Movember movement aims to raise awareness on issues such as: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental heath and suicide prevention among our men. I saw an alarming statistic that 60 men commits suicide every hour. This is something that definitely needs to be talked about and this is why I am choosing this platform to raise awareness. 

By encouraging men to get involved, Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths. Besides annual check-ups, Movember encourages men to be aware of family history of cancer and to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

How can you help?
You don't need to grow a moustache to support this cause. There are many fundraisers that you can participate in or host your own. Talk to the men in your life about getting regular check ups. Be an advocate for open, non-judgement conversations around their mental health and offer support. But, if you can grow that stache  become a walking billboard to raise awareness around men's health issues.  Be a friend, a voice or just a listening ear this month. Men's health issues can affect us all.

- Shanika Slinn