As someone who has suffered from a mental illness, I’ve been lucky to receive support as a young woman. Unfortunately, the stigma around mental illness in men means that many don’t seek support, and as someone who believes in equality between the sexes, I feel that I can help advocate for men seeking and receiving support and reducing the stigma around mental illness, as well as seeking support for all health issues.

My dad’s sickness has taught me a different level of empathy and being part of the movement that benefits people in similar situations as my dad, makes both me and would have made him very happy.

After losing two very close members of my family last year to cancer, I have a strong connection to the relevance and importance of bringing awareness to people about the great fundraising and research done by the Movember foundation. As a spokesperson, I strive to bring my unique and charismatic personality to shed a light on these terrible illnesses and hopefully make my own personal impact on men’s health.

Movember is something I’m passionate about, particularly men’s mental health. Too often men are the ‘shoulders we cry on’. Yet, in doing so they lose their own shoulder, and forget their own well-being to help others. Though it is such a selfless act, the men who want to be perceived as tough, could be dealing with a lot on the inside. I want to be a part of the movement, to change the way society thinks. It gives me such happiness that the brand I work for, the POLITIX family I am in, plays such a big part in this movement, and I hope in some way, I can be a part of that.

In my family and in many others, men don’t talk about their health - physical or mental. Being a “man” is defined by being the alpha and never expressing how you feel. I want to change this stigma because if the men in my life had someone to encourage them to take care of their health and well-being, they might still be here today.