Last month, 14 men and their families in Cairns gathered to put men’s health first at a Men’s Health Matters session hosted by the local Freemasons.
Held at the Freshwater Masonic Centre, the event was part of a series of state-wide events run by Hand Heart Pocket the Charity of Freemasons Queensland, in collaboration with community health non-profit CheckUP.
With a focus on improving the overall wellbeing of Queensland men, the series was launched in September 2019 and has traveled across the state, visiting towns and supporting local communities.
The free information session at Cairns was delivered by a registered psychologist and explored a range of topics such as nutrition and physical activity, early detection of cancer, diabetes and heart disease as well as mental health and relationships.
Hand Heart Pocket Chief Executive Officer Gary Mark said educating people on how they could lead better lives was an important part of the charity’s work in the community.
“Improving the mental and physical health of Queensland men is part of our charitable focus, which is why we partnered with CheckUP to bring this potentially life-saving initiative to communities across the sunshine state,” Mr Mark said.
“Through these informative local events, Hand Heart Pocket and CheckUP provided the support, encouragement and education many men need to lead better, healthier lives.”
CheckUP CEO Ann Maree Liddy said the event provided a confidential and supportive forum for men to talk about their life experience and health journey.
“Attendees were encouraged to talk about how they were feeling both mentally and physically, and to seek help from their local community,” Ms Liddy said.
Cairns Freemason Raja Chohan said the local event was a key conversation starter for men’s health.
“The Men’s Health Matters event was great for our community, highlighting the importance of taking men’s mental and physical health seriously,” Mr Chohan said.
