Mo bro lets it grow, again

A MADI Madi man and Golden Square resident is doing his part for Movember for the fourth year in a row.

Last year, Shannon Kennedy-Dee surpassed his goal of $200 with $1700, but he said to him it’s not about the money.

“It’s about getting more awareness around mental health and speaking openly and honestly about it,” he said.

“I’ve always struggled to talk about my mental health, and I was always a bit ashamed because I didn’t know how to.

Mr Kennedy-Dee said since his fundraising success, he’s felt inspired to address men’s mental health in his day-to-day settings.

“I’m a part of the Heathcote Football Club. I took six weeks off because of my mental health… The night I told everyone I probably had 20, 30 messages,” he said.

“I was very proud of the support I got from the players and the committee. Ever since then I’ve really made it open that we need to talk about mental health around the footy clubs.”

Mr Kennedy-Dee is tweaking his Movember goal this year with the aim of raising $86 and walking one kilometre for each dollar raised.

He’s already surpassed his funding target with nearly $400 raised.

Mr Kennedy-Dee said goodbye to his moustache at the start of November, which he said is his “safety blanket.”

“Normally, I’m Mr Moustache. I’ve got it all year round then I shave it off for this. That’s when I’m my most vulnerable and I feel that’s when you can be vulnerable in yourself,” he said.

“After last year and that positiveness, I want to keep talking about mental health to break that stigma. Just because we’re men doesn’t mean we can’t check on each other.

“I think the more I spoke about mental health, the more people understood the real me, the real Shannon.”