I didn’t know much about prostate cancer until my stepdad was diagnosed in 2006. What followed was a blur of hospital visits, treatments, and tests. And then suddenly, ten years later, he was gone. I felt completely robbed.

The sad reality is that 1 in 5 Aussie men will face that same devastating disease in their lifetime - and plenty more will live in poor health or die too young.

Health outcomes for boys and men are actually quite sad if you stop and take notice, with higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, and many forms of cancer (lung, blood, lymph, and colon, to name just a few).

Men are more likely to engage in risky behaviours like substance and alcohol misuse. They are also more likely to take their own lives and to experience social isolation.

Men tend to have poorer health literacy than women, making them less likely to engage in preventive healthcare. They visit the doctor less frequently, have shorter visits, and usually only attend when their illness has become serious.

Things need to change.

I joined Movember back in 2022 because I believed it had the power to drive meaningful progress for men: sparking important conversations, raising vital funds, supporting innovative research to deepen our understanding of men’s health challenges, and creating real-world actions so that more men can lead longer, healthier lives. I still believe that.

If you believe it too, please donate what you can and help change the face of men’s health. Every dollar counts.