In 2020, John Armstrong made a deal with a colleague. The colleague had been putting off seeing a doctor, and so had John. They made a simple pact: if you go, I’ll go.
Turns out, the appointment that followed caught John’s prostate cancer just in time.
That pact is a part of why the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF) is asking people to put their Suspenders On this men’s health month. Listen to what John, and others, had to say about it. These aren’t fundraising stories. They’re stories about men who knew, or whose families knew and waited too long anyway.
Guys can be known for staying quiet and holding everything in. That can lead to important things going unnoticed, and their health shouldn’t be left to chance. Just like trying to rely on your pants to stay up by themselves, sometimes you need a little extra reinforcement before things fall apart.
The story behind the suspenders
The idea was created with the help of John Armstrong and Graham Love. While brainstorming a fun way to raise funds for the cause, Graham was hit with a memory of his late grandfather — a Scottish shipbuilder who famously lounged on the beach in nothing but oversized trousers and a trusty pair of suspenders.
It clicked instantly. “Suspenders. We’ll ask people to wear suspenders.”
Whether you’re a high-performing corporate executive, a professional athlete or a tradesperson swinging hammers on a job site you can identify with the pressure to maintain a tough exterior. Often men see self-reliance and grit treated as badges of honour. In reality, ignoring problems can cost you your health, your family, or your life.
The truth? You can be high-performing and struggle. It isn’t a sign of weakness to admit it; it’s a sign of leadership.
They work because people ask
Suspenders get noticed. And when someone asks why you’re wearing them, you’ve already started the conversation most of us never have — about a friend who should see a doctor, someone you’ve lost, or just the fact that men’s health matters. That’s the whole idea. The suspenders start it. You take it from there.
Who are you wearing them for?
But the campaign’s deeper meaning came from what people started wearing them for.
Graham Love is wearing his suspenders for his late brother, Andrew, who passed away from liver cancer — a tragedy that might have been prevented with an earlier checkup.
John Armstrong is wearing his for the men living on our streets who never got the support they needed. John is also a prostate cancer survivor who only caught his illness because he made a pact with a worried colleague to go get checked together.
Andrew Jackson of Jackson Events, who’s rallying NHL alumni to the cause, wears his suspenders in memory of his close friend, Dale Hawerchuk, who passed away from stomach cancer. Dale made Andrew promise he would go see a doctor. Andrew thinks about that promise every day.
From hockey players in Moncton to construction crews on local job sites, people are noticing that when it comes to the well-being of guys, the cracks are starting to show. It’s time we lift each other up.
No suspenders? No problem.
You don’t need to buy a brand-new pair of fancy suspenders to participate. The spirit of this campaign is all about improvisation and leveraging what you’ve got.
- Got an old pair of bungee cords? Throw ‘em over your shoulders.
- Not playing hockey this weekend? Repurpose those skate laces as suspenders.
- Want the real deal? Grab a pair from Lynn Valley Manufacturing (the official Canadian makers who once made suspenders for the Red Green Show!), where $10 from every pair sold goes directly to CMHF.
Take action this month
We don’t have to struggle alone. This month, let’s turn a groundswell of awareness into a tsunami of real action.
- Snap a photo rocking your suspenders and post it with #SuspendersOn
- Donate to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation to fund vital health programs.
- If a buddy opens up to you, you don’t need to fix anything. Just listen.
- Wear them somewhere people will ask.
Let’s bring back suspenders, listen to that little voice in the back of your head, and give your health the support it deserves.
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