By Bret Carter, Co-Chairman, Real Mean Wear Pink.
My involvement with Real Men Wear Pink (now going on four years) is deeply personal. My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. She underwent a mastectomy and thankfully, lived almost another 20 years. In 2011, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy that same year, and we were fortunate that it was caught early. She has been cancer-free since then, but the diagnosis hit close to home. Coping with the fear and uncertainty of my mother’s diagnosis was one of the most challenging experiences of my life. Each annual checkup brings a mixture of hope and anxiety, as our family holds their breath and prays for good news.
Being a part of the Real Men Wear Pink group has been a source of strength and comfort for me. The camaraderie and support from the other ambassadors within the organization is invaluable. It’s more than just a group of volunteers; it’s a brotherhood. The guys in this group have become a part of my extended family, and their passion and dedication constantly inspire me to be better as a person and to be an active volunteer for the American Cancer Society. We share our stories, our “whys,” and support each other through the highs and lows. This collective strength of gentlemen and a shared purpose drives each of us to make a more significant impact on the fight against cancer.
Real Men Wear Pink has 40 Ambassadors stepping up in the Midlands, utilizing the power of wearing pink to raise funds and draw attention to the breast cancer fight. Every dollar raised helps the American Cancer Society save more lives from breast cancer through early detection and prevention, breakthrough breast cancer discovery and research, and lifesaving patient support. When communities unite to fight breast cancer, great things happen. By tapping into the “power of pink”, Real Men Wear Pink of the Midlands has raised more than $850,000 since its inception. This also fuels a live 24/7 helpline for answers and support, breakthrough breast research, and so much more. Every dollar raised helps the American Cancer Society end breast cancer as we know it by funding innovative breast cancer research, providing education and guidance to help people reduce their risk, and offering comprehensive patient support to those who need it most so that no one faces breast cancer alone.
One of the things I love best about being an ambassador is that each year the Real Men Wear Pink campaign becomes a brotherhood of men united with one common goal: to wear pink and bring smiles to people’s faces. Whether it’s wearing pink tutus, pink socks, dyeing our hair or beards pink, or even having a few pink gorillas running around town, we do whatever it takes to raise funds and awareness for families in our community. I stand firmly by my motto, “We will do whatever it takes!”
Every year a core group from the previous year begins networking and recruiting as early as possible. By the time the campaign officially starts, we have a diverse group of men who relate to one thing in common: fighting cancer. We come from various walks of life: business owners, lawyers, doctors, plumbers, sales reps, real estate agents, and home builders—the list goes on and on and differs yearly. Our goal is to have an existing ambassador who can relate to and mentor any man interested in helping the campaign. Together, we can raise more money and increase awareness of the cause more than we could individually.
New ambassadors are prompted with thought-provoking questions: “What is your why?” and “Who are the people that got you invested in being an ambassador?” Once we share our “why” with the rest of the ambassadors, it becomes part of the collective “why”. Howie Mason, Co-Chairman of Real Men Wear Pink, agrees wholeheartedly, “The bigger and stronger the collective “why” gets, the stronger we get, and the more impact we can make in the fight against cancer.”
We all desire to do our part to raise funds for cancer research, treatment, and awareness and quickly learn that we also fill many other roles, not the least of which is support. We not only help support cancer patients, survivors, families, and caregivers, but we also support each other.
The money raised locally gets put to work right here in the Midlands. The American Cancer Society can assist with rides to treatment, lodging, 24/7 patient and caregiver support, and access to care. They also provide funds for lifesaving research to The University of South Carolina, The Medical University of South Carolina, and Clemson University.
There are plenty of places to get involved and be part of the team. Throughout the fall we have a golf tournament, poker tournament, cornhole events, live band performances, trivia nights, and our annual Gala on November 14th at The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Columbia. If you are interested in coming alongside Real Men Wear Pink of the Midlands or would like more information, please reach out and let us get you plugged in. It only takes a few minutes to contact Whitnei Jeffcoat at our local chapter or to visit the Real Men Wear Pink of the Midlands webpage hosted by The American Cancer Society.
Real Men Wear Pink of the Midlands. [email protected]
The American Cancer Society. 24/7 Cancer Hotline. 1-800-227-2345. Cancer.org
