The
statistics are shocking. One in four men in Scotland die before the age of 65,
while suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45.
This
week is Men’s Health Week and the University has a number of activities
planned throughout the week to highlight different physical and mental health
concerns and how to seek support.
Coffee with a Comedian –
Tuesday 15 June
John
Ryan is a multi-award-winning stand-up comedian with a difference. He travels
the world raising awareness of the importance of good mental and physical
health and removing the stigma surrounding talking openly about them by
tackling difficult health topics using humour. John’s mantra is simple – “If
you make them laugh, you make them listen”.
We
are pleased to welcome John on Tuesday to deliver a Coffee with a Comedian session
with the aim of making us laugh while delivering some important messages around
speaking to the GP or a loved one about physical health. He very much believes
that worries about physical health have a negative effect on mental health and
he wants to share some funny stories.
With
John’s distinctive style, this coffee session will promote positive messages
and provide information surrounding men’s mental health and wellbeing. John has
a background in community care, a master’s degree in health and a reputation as
a leading UK comedian. He brings his unique skillset to make an impact.
This
comedy session is open to all colleagues and students to attend and
we very much encourage our male community to come along.
Click here to join the meeting at 11am on the day.
Lunch and Learn with James
Gwinnett – Wednesday 16 June
Many
will recognise James from his stint on Channel 4’s brutal Special Forces
training show SAS: Who Dares Wins. James will share insights on how men can open-up
about their mental health and explore how building resilience to take on
physical challenges can be applied to everyday life, while encouraging others
to develop healthy habits and use goal setting to fulfil their potential.
James
will share his remarkable story of how, after breaking his neck playing rugby,
he fell into a dark spiral of alcoholism and depression, and at a particularly
low ebb found himself sleeping rough. Weighing in at 17 stones and towering 6ft 5"
high, he described himself as a larger-than-life individual both in charisma
and stature on and off the semi-professional rugby pitch. The serious neck
injury sustained playing the game he loved changed all that, stripping him of
his ‘macho’ identity and his disciplined routine.
Redemption
came through exercise and James is now a serial endurance runner, pushing his
body and mind to the limits on increasingly arduous and epic challenges. In
September, he took on his first 100mile single-day event, finishing in the top
50. James is with us fresh from his most recent challenge in March which saw
him run 250km in five days to raise money for the Mental Health Foundation.
Join
us for this fascinating and relevant Lunch and Learn session on Wednesday at
1pm by registering your attendance here.
On
Thursday, we’ll pick up on the theme of the week, which is Life after Covid-19 for men. On Friday we’ll focus on the top three cancers affecting men –
prostate, lung and bowel cancer. Look out for information and material regarding
these subjects which we’ll be sharing on Workplace by
Facebook.
Also
running throughout the week is the Can
Do Challenge – you can find out more about the challenge here.
You
may not need to worry about your own physical or mental wellbeing at the
moment, but there may be a time when you do. You may also notice a colleague,
friend or family member might need support, so any nugget of information you
pick up this week could be helpful in supporting those around you.
There’s
something for everybody in Men’s Health Week, so please take the time to get
involved!