Guy-ding lights that keep abreast

Men play an important role in caring for the women they love, so this new initiative takes lessons from the same book. These real men from the city are doing their bit, out of pure love and compassion, to spread awareness on preventive cancer check-ups.

The campaign called MCBC (Men Countering Breast Cancer) is about encouraging real men to support the women in their lives to take time off their daily chores to get regular preventive check-ups done to fight breast cancer. This campaign is spearheaded by men.

Supporting the cause, Piyush Bhandari, co-founder, JUMPINGGOOSE (a design firm) states, “I believe that design has the potential to change the way people think. It has the ability to create social impact. This awareness is designed to be cool, bold, provocative yet sensitive so that even the young generation can understand and support the cause.

The idea to move beyond the preachy and trigger conversations is now creating the much required buzz. It is bringing together young men to lead this movement against breast cancer.”  

Educate and save lives is what these men believe in. Even though breast cancer is seen as a woman’s issue, men are also impacted by the disease, whether it’s their spouse, sibling, mother or a close friend.

Through the MCBC campaign, the word will be spread with the help of men who care for women. Amit Singh, design head, Spykar states, “It’s a great initiative to tackle a serious health risk with quirkiness. I believe with men being addressed and talked to, it will strengthen the support system around women. Also, it’s important for men to be equally aware and thereby spread awareness about this disease and ways to fight it. Even I have taken a token of pledge to spread sensitiveness on the issue.”

Varun Sheth, co-founder, Ketto (online crowdfunding platform) believes that awareness is the first step to bring about a change and address the stigma attached to breast cancer.

“Even though there is a gradual rise in breast cancer cases, there is still widespread ignorance about the disease and that’s why such campaigns will bring about a revolution and encourage men to stand up for the cause.”

Many of us, more often than not, have heard, read or used the phrase MCBC in verbal abuses, brawls and fights and that's why the campaign aims to turn a derogatory phrase into an empowering message.

The campaign is also being promoted through a range of tees for men and the proceeds will be donated to support the cause of breast cancer. Nithin Kamath, Zerodha (online stock trading firm) states, “It’s a fabulous way to create awareness for breast cancer. With all the balancing that a woman has to do between work and family, or even just taking care of different members of the family, they tend to compromise or neglect on following up properly on any of their personal health related issues. I think it is on us men to ensure that we push the woman around us to visit such health checkups to prevent and fight breast cancer, as soon as possible.”