I struggle to remember exactly where I first heard of Movember, but I believe it was via social media channels. It jumped out at me as a very clever and engaging way to raise awareness for men’s health concerns, and I signed up to be an individual fundraiser. The following year, a team formed at work, and I quickly joined that team as a member for many years, then leading it during my final year located in Los Angeles. I transitioned to my company’s New Jersey campus a couple of years ago. Upon arriving, some gentlemen at my new location expressed interest in joining a team and asked if I could create one, having been aware of the team I led in Los Angeles. Voila, a new team was born, and we have grown a little each year and raised a few more dollars each Movember season; and we are hoping to do even more this year as I move into my tenth year as a Mo Sister.
" A few years after I started my annual campaigning for Movember, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. "
Thanks to awareness from Movember campaigns and his diligence in regular health screenings with his doctor, he caught it so early that there were not even enough cancer cells to treat.
He underwent active monitoring for nearly a year before starting his specialized radiation treatment calledCyberKnife. He had very minimal side effects and a speedy recovery - he was swimming again within two weeks!
In 2020, my engagement with Movember expanded as I became a Community Ambassador. Despite the pandemic, we focused on finding new ways of reaching out in a virtual world to support the cause. During a tumultuous year, Movember continued to drive programs for men’s health, including a much-needed mental health focus, of which it was my honor to share out through my networks to try to help reach those in need of support.
I continue to support Movember as much as possible because I believe it is a highly beneficial organization. I credit them with helping save my father’s life when he was diagnosed with cancer, so how can I not devote my energy to helping drive awareness for others to keep the men in their lives happy and healthy?