Movember's supporters can be found around the world... here is one passionate fundraiser havin' fun, doin' good, Pierre from Sweden.
Pierre has reached his goal to fundraise a lifetime total of an epic 1 million SEK (approx €85,146) and he shares with us his inspiring journey for why he Mo’s.
I’m 40 years old, but stuck at 25 in my mind. I live in Leksand, Sweden with my family. They are my inspiration. I work within entertainment and lecture, where I hope to inspire people to move more, do more, dare more and experience more. To stretch what appears to be doable and live more.
I have been a proud Mo Bro and part of the fantastic team, Round Table, since 2014. Round Table is Sweden's largest network for men between 18-40. They are a non-profit association with the aim of creating friendship, understanding and connection between people. Round Table is also a big contributor to social projects and charities like Movember.
Why I support Movember
When I was seven years old, I lost my dad. We got the call that he had died of a heart attack at the hospital. Years later, I found out that his heart condition was hereditary. Early in life, I had to choose between going on pills or to stay active.
" We need to end the stigma and check in with our loved ones, friends and coworkers "
When that hit me, I looked around and noticed that many of my friends, colleagues and people in general had fallen into the same trap. They had decreased their physical activity and were talking about how bad they were feeling, both physically and mentally.
This inspired me to take my story as a motivation and make a change. Maybe my history could inspire myself and others to make better choices and be role models for our kids.
We need to remember that the younger generation look at us and we need to step up! That is where the Movember fundraising challenge started and the vision is still the same: No child should have to say goodbye dad.
My fundraising adventures
Previously, I swam 25km in open water, between two towns in Sweden. I’ve also cycled through Sweden, from the most northern Round Table club in Sweden, to the most southern.
This year, I am looking at a unique challenge - taking on a big swim event in Sweden called Vansbrosimningen. The new challenge will be to swim 3km in butterfly style. This has not been done before.
My hope
Physical inactivity is one of our biggest challenges today and I hope to push others to move more. I also hope to inspire people to widen their horizon of what is possible and push their comfort zone. And finally, I hope to raise funds for a great cause, so that more men can live healthier, longer lives.
My advice
Let's face it: life will hit you hard sometimes. There are bumps in the road and challenges that knock on your door. It's easy to say, but harder to live by, but it´s not what happens that defines your life, it’s how you relate to it. I have chosen that my biggest fear in life will be my greatest motivation.
My fear is that my kids will grow up without knowing who their father was, as I don't. I hope to inspire and encourage others to make better and healthier choices. To leave a legacy.
Something good can come from something tragic, like my father's passing. I know it’s sometimes hard to see the bright side of life. That’s when it’s important to remember that it´s OK to not be OK. It´s OK to feel weak. It´s OK to be vulnerable. It´s OK to open up and talk about the feelings and rough experiences that we go through. This is even more important for us men, due to the fact that we ”shouldn’t”, because “boys don't cry”. We need to end the stigma and check in with our loved ones, friends and coworkers.
Be part of the change that we need to see.
Follow Pierre's epic adventures here