The men in my family don't really talk about our personal lives. It wasn't until my father told that he had been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer that I found out his father had also battled the same cancer years earlier. I was in college at the time. The news came as a shock, but what was even more strange was the way my father down played the seriousness of illness.

He would say things like, "It's not that big of a deal," or "Don't freak out about it".

Thankfully, the cancer was caught early enough to where he was able to come away a survivor. And even though it's been years since the diagnosis, I still think about how my grandfather and father were both effected by Prostate Cancer. I can't help thinking... I am next?

It was this question that introduced me to Movember. Through the resources and stories I was able to better understand not only the information about Prostate Cancer, but also how to talk about mental health.

I'm happy to say that today I am a father of two little boys. Their personalities, their energy, and their smiles - I may still be learning about what it means to be a good father, but more than anything I just want to be around for a long time.

I look forward to participating in Movember each year because it helps remind me what's most important in my life.