We are excited to kick off our partnership with Atrium this month and thank you to Matt McGorrey for sharing his story and being a champion for #MoveMeMonday at Atrium!
When I was young, cancer seemed to be such a bizarre, foreign disease. Up until middle school I hadn’t met a single person who had cancer, and honestly couldn’t quite comprehend what it entailed. All I knew was that it was a terrible deadly disease and that treatment options were limited.
In high school, I found out that my grandfather was diagnosed with Melanoma (a type of skin cancer) and suddenly my entire view on cancer shifted. He was a fair skinned linesman for many many decades, and never wore sunscreen or protective clothing. Now, years later, the lack of these preventative measures showed as he had multiple surgeries to try to prune back the infected areas. Unfortunately, five years later he would pass away due to complications stemming from his cancer.
As a kid I NEVER took wearing sunscreen seriously. I always viewed it as such a chore, and only wore it to prevent sunburns. However, in light of my grandfather’s passing I have begun to view sunscreen, hats, etc… in a new light. Knowing that men in my family are susceptible to this kind of cancer (my Dad has already had several moles removed as well), it really is up to me to do whatever I can to keep myself healthy, and prevent future hardship for my family.
This is one way that cancer has impacted me, and in the same vein, what I love about the Move Me Monday initiative. Society often talks about a cure for cancer, which of course is important. However, we rarely talk about prevention, which in many cases can circumvent the need for a cure in the first place (in some cases, like my Grandfather’s). I love being able to take part in a campaign that brings awareness to the fact that there are many things each of us can do right now to prevent cancer, before we’re ever in need of a cure.
We are excited for the Atrium team to join us for #MoveMeMonday this month and appreciate their generosity and sponsorship. #MoveMeMonday is something you can do together, even if you are working remotely or have offices around the country and world! If you are looking for a team building and corporate wellness activity with your co-workers, let us know!