Toowoomba men and their families recently gathered to shine the light on men’s mental and physical health at a Men’s Health Matters event hosted by the local Freemasons.
Held at the Toowoomba Masonic Centre, the event was part of a series of state-wide sessions run by Hand Heart Pocket the Charity of Freemasons Queensland, in collaboration with community health non-profit CheckUP, focusing on improving men’s mental and physical health.
The awareness campaign was launched in September last year and has travelled across the state, visiting towns and supporting local communities.
Hand Heart Pocket Chief Executive Officer Gary Mark said empowering people to lead better lives was an important part of the charity’s work in the community.
“Improving men’s mental and physical health both at a state-wide and grassroots level is part of our charitable focus, which is why we’ve partnered with CheckUP to bring this potentially life-saving initiative to communities across Queensland,” Mr Mark said.
“Hand Heart Pocket, in partnership with CheckUP, is committed to providing the support and encouragement men need in order to lead better lives through these crucial local events.”
The free information session was delivered by a registered psychologist and covered a range of topics such as nutrition and physical activity, early detection of cancer, diabetes and heart disease, mental health and relationships.
CheckUP CEO Ann Maree Liddy said the event provided a safe forum for men to talk about their experiences and health journey.
“Through this event, attendees were encouraged to put their health first and actually have a conversation about how they are feeling both mentally and physically,” Ms Liddy said.
Toowoomba Freemason Craig Reimers said the local Men’s Health Matters event helped the Toowoomba community turn a corner and start thinking about how to address the issue of men’s health from different perspectives.
“There’s nothing more heart-warming to see than a group of people from within your community coming together to address the important issues facing those around us,” Mr Reimers said.
“Men’s health is something that shouldn’t just be swept under the rug and the Men’s Health Matters event was pivotal in bringing people together to shine a light on such an important issue.”
