Its Movember again and this year, for the very first time I have agreed to take part! I have never had facial hair of much level before to deem it a manly growth but with the scheme aiming to raise awareness of both testitical cancer and mental health I felt I wanted to show my support as much as possible having been effected by both.
Why I’m doing it
If you have read any of my early blog posts you will realise that I did suffer with mental health problems from 2008 – 2012, a period of time that was particularly difficult for me. Last year my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and I also discovered my old school friend’s uncle passed away due to testicle cancer.
The power of both mental health difficulties and contracting cancer are terrible forms of illness, both for the ill person and those who care about them seeing you suffer.
When you have mental health difficulties you look normal or people judge those who are undiagnosed with difficulties as crazy/different/strange/stupid or worse, to be wary of when really what they truly need is a helping hand of compassion.
Similarly when someone contracts cancer it is important to discover the disease as early as possible in order to be able to fight it.
By raising awareness of these two forms of disease we can make a difference, we can tell people to have the balls to check the balls and to get help for mental problems when things are hard rather than ‘be a man’ and fight the good fight. It is not a weakness to admit you have a problem, it is a strength.
My attempt at a mo
Yep, I’m growing it!
Maybe not a moustache but a full on facial feast of hair instead! Who knows, maybe I will like the extra warm to the face this winter, who needs a scarf when you have a beard eh!?
Are you growing a mo for Movember? What are you doing to try and help raise cancer and mental health awareness? Feel free to comment in the box below and if you are feeling extra generous then please donate to the great cause that is movembor here.