MOVEMBER is for EVERYONE!

Our family has been supporting MOVEMBER for 10+ years. It was important for us because of Charles’ family history of prostate cancer, and subsequently, his diagnosis and surgery and now, three years cancer free. The MOVEMBER FOUNDATION https://ca.movember.com/ has been raising awareness and funds since 2003. It was started in Melbourne, Australia and became a worldwide phenomena in 2007.

We all have important men in our lives and building awareness around men’s health is so important. My friends and I talk about our screenings, as women; however, we know that our men have WAY more difficulty talking about and finding other men to talk about their heath, both mental and physical.
MOVEMEBER opens up the door for conversation and tries to remove the stigma around screenings and diagnosis.

For our story, early diagnosis was the key. Charles was doing all the “5 THINGS” that the MOVEMBER FOUNDATION was recommending for men…
1. He was working hard to be connected to other men and people who made him feel good (this has been even more the case since his surgery, as he has connected with many men’s health and fitness groups on line).
2. He was willing to talk with others about prostate cancer. We lived through his dad’s diagnosis and pre-mature death and suffering and we never want anyone to go through this. We want others to be informed and be supported and encouraged to get the help and support they need. Mental health support is particularly important during diagnosis, surgery and recovery and beyond.
3. Charles knew his numbers and regularly got his PSA checked. We pushed for further diagnosis (biopsy) when we knew his numbers were rising (even though they were not particularly high). We followed our gut instincts and insisted, even though is was extremely difficult. We did not back down.
4. Charles knows his body. He knows what is normal and what is not. He asks questions of doctors and other men in his health groups and he is not afraid to get things checked. Instead of giving in to anxiety, you can just get checked. We are strong enough to deal with whatever comes our way and it is far better to know early than late.
5. Charles exercises and moves every day. We are avid cyclers, we lift weights and embrace pelvic floor physio, as well as pilates, osteopathy and naturopathy, as well as acupuncture. Charles worked to lose 25 pounds before his surgery and we are careful about the amount of sugar in our diet. We are committed to eating a diet that does not include processed foods. We shop the outside of the grocery store and try to pick items that have 4 ingredients or less on their labels. We are focused on doing everything we can to stay as healthy as possible.

When someone in your family is diagnosed with cancer, it impacts everyone. After you have survived, your perspective changes. We are focused on truth and integrity, on compassion and empathy and on living our best lives, while supporting, enjoying and positively impacting the lives of those in our circle.

I would encourage you to get involved – support financially as much as you can. We donate to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton because that is where Charles had his life-saving robotic surgery. You can donate through MOVEMBER directly to support men’s health OR to any organization that supports cancer or mental health.

We can all be everyday heroes and make a difference in the lives of others