As a passionate Mo Bro, my primary focus is to raise funds and awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. I lost two of my best childhood friends to suicide and have personally struggled with depression. I know how challenging it can be to feel comfortable seeking help, but I have also experienced the mental and physical toll that internalizing those feelings can take. It’s something a lot of us have experienced, but few of us have talked about openly. My passion for Movember is founded on remembering lost loved ones and dedicating my efforts in their honor. I strive to help our communities move toward a more open and comfortable dialogue about these issues and encourage people to address them with me and others around them.
I was introduced to Movember through my cousin and legendary Mo Bro Sandy Goodman. Sandy taught me about the causes Movember serves and I quickly found that Movember’s close, family-like culture and key messages really resonated with me. In the beginning of my Movember career, I found my conversations with other Mo’s and potential donors to be almost therapeutic: telling my personal story and teaching others the importance of open communication helped me get over my own challenges while also raising awareness among others.
A good chunk of my fundraising happens through conversations with friends, family and colleagues. I find that bringing up Movember naturally in conversation is the most effective way to genuinely convey the importance of the cause. True to Movember roots, I use my moustache to kick-start those chats and open those doors.
As a normally clean-shaven guy, my Mo is a solid conversation sparker. I’ve also found that social media is a great way to raise awareness across a broader audience, reaching those you don’t usually interact with in your day-to-day life. Plus, there’s the added benefit of being able to measure engagement through likes, votes and replies, so you can see just how far that lifesaving men’s health is spreading. Social media also allows you to be as creative as you like, letting your imagination run wild while you engage as many people as possible.
Each year, I double down on my fundraising by Hosting events as well as growing a Mo. The majority of the funds I raise come from these annual events, which include open bars, mini-golf tournaments and post-half marathon celebrations. For me, growing and hosting is the perfect way to make the most of Movember and share it with as many people as possible.