Whatever you grow will save a bro!

Movember. Yes, having gone ‘Sober for October’, now in the month formally known as November, ‘Mo-bros’ and ‘Mo-sistas’ will highlight issues around male mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer all through the power of the moustache (mo).

I have been a supporter of Movember since 2011 and in those 10 years not only have I shared my personal stories related to the Movember cause whilst raising a little money, more importantly, I have been highlighting the case for men to take their health more seriously and be more open about their health issues. Hopefully you will have noticed these subjects appearing in our PacBlog throughout the year (not just focussing on men), highlighting the more ‘taboo’ subject of mental health and how we can all benefit from more self care and awareness of those around us.

For me, the message of Movember can be distilled into four simple actions that anyone can adopt into their lives:

• Kindness. We need more of it, both towards ourselves and others around us.

• Honesty. We need to not only act honestly towards others but be honest with ourselves.

• Support. Whether simply showing your support or actively participating / assisting / listening, be a part of that support / solution. We must be ready to listen and understand.

• Speak up! If you think there is a problem (physical or mental), step forward and ask for help. It’s okay to say “I’m not okay”.

Whether you actively choose to participate in Movember (my wife is so looking forward to the ‘Mo’ as always) or indeed any other awareness month, charity event or scheme matters not. What is important is that the stories are heard, we understand the roles we can all play and take heed of the advice both for ourselves and the sake of others.

Remember – be excellent to each other.

Toby Gilbertson, Customer Services Manager. October 2021.

#PacSolUK #Movember #MensHealth #MentalHealth