A WORCESTER paramedic is set to cycle, run, row and grow hair this month to raise awareness about male mental health and suicide prevention.
Kieran Hennah, a paramedic from Worcester hub, is joining two of his friends for the Movember challenge to not only help shine a light on male mental health but also raise money to support the Movember charity.
The trio will not only be growing the obligatory moustache but they have also set themselves a target of covering 84km each week of November by running, cycling and rowing with 84 signifying the number of men who commit suicide each week.
The Movember charity is a cause close to Kieran’s heart as, at the end of 2017, he found himself suffering with his own mental health.
Kieran, 31 from Swansea, said: “I’d hit rock bottom without really acknowledging something was wrong but, looking back, I’d lost interest in everything that I’d previously enjoyed and was just not myself.
“My friends and family spotted that I was struggling and stepped in to help. The support I received from the service was great too and, after some consideration, I decided to leave my role in 2018 to take some time out to focus on my mental wellbeing.”
In March this year Kieran returned to WMAS to help with the pandemic.
“Myself and my two friends Ed Jones and Neil Navarra decided to do a little challenge through November to raise money and awareness for male suicide as on average 84 males commit suicide every week.
“We can’t sit back and accept this, so we want to raise money for Movember to help them with their mission of reducing the rate of male suicides in 2030 by 25 per cent through various approaches.
“If we can get other men to look after their mental wellbeing, to be brave enough to ask for help and get support then it’s a great start.
“I have suffered with my own mental health but I got through it by accepting that I needed help and I urge other men to do the same if they’re struggling. You really aren’t alone.”
Visit https://uk.movember.com/mospace/1908392 for more.
