Strength Through Connection: Our First Men's Cancer & Mental Health Conference
On Saturday, October 17, nearly 125 men joined us for the first Men's Cancer & Mental Health Conference, in person at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and online from home.
It was a first-of-its-kind day built around one question: what does cancer do to a man's mental health, and what actually helps? For eight hours, survivors and clinicians took that question on together, out loud.
Why we built it
When faced with cancer, women tend to reach out. Men tend to check out. That pattern leads too many of us toward mental health problems, strained relationships, and poorer medical outcomes.
We wanted one day dedicated to the part of cancer men rarely talk about: the emotional and mental toll. A day for men affected by cancer, the people who care for them, and the professionals who treat them, with room for honest conversation.
Our theme, Strength Through Connection, was more than a tagline. It was the whole point. No one should face cancer alone.
The day
Morning: the case for mental health care
Joe Bullock, our Director of Programs & Partnerships, opened the day. Then Dr. Donald Rosenstein took the stage for the morning keynote, Why Your Mental Health Matters for Your Cancer Care.
Dr. Rosenstein is a Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at UNC–Chapel Hill, founder of UNC's Comprehensive Cancer Support Program, and former Clinical Director of the National Institute of Mental Health.
Next came our Survivorship Panel.
Board Chairman Michael Holtz moderated a conversation with three Man Up to Cancer leaders: Don Helgeson, Bill Thach, and Chuck Aiken.
Tyler James Dean, a graduate assistant and cancer exercise trainer, closed the morning with a presentation on UNC's Get REAL & HEEL program. Lunch followed, with guest speakers from our Expo sharing their organizations' work.
Afternoon: two tracks
Attendees chose one of two keynotes, each followed by a patient panel.
Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA). Dr. Andrew "Smitty" Smitherman of the UNC School of Medicine, who led UNC's AYA Cancer Program from 2017 to 2026, presented Top Ten AYA Survivorship Myths. Michael Holtz then moderated an AYA patient panel with Matt Cross, Ihsan Yuksel, and Matt Jones.
Men of Color. Bill Thach, our Director of Diversity, delivered When Strength Includes Asking for Help. Diagnosed in 2018, Bill has been through 11 treatment lines and five clinical trials. He then moderated a Men of Color patient panel with Marvin Rothwell, Craig Brown, and Ric Downs.
Cheeky Charity also hosted an LGBTQ+ meetup during the afternoon break.
Closing: where it all started
Don Helgeson, our Director of Chapters and Meetups, shared what happens at the Gathering of Wolves, our annual retreat.
Joe Bullock followed with Connection, Friendship & Legacy: The Origin Story of Man Up to Cancer. Michael Holtz closed the day with final remarks and thanks.
Thank you
The conference was free for every attendee because of our partners:
Medidata Solutions, GSK, Taiho Oncology, Bracco/Blue Earth Diagnostics, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Thank you to our speakers, panelists, and presenters for sharing their expertise and their stories. Thank you to Cheeky Charity and our Expo organizations, to our volunteers, and to everyone who helped make the day possible.
Most of all, thank you to everyone who showed up, in the room or on the screen. You made the conversation.
What's next
Keep the connection going:
Become a free member and join the pack online
Find a local chapter near you
Listen to Episode 100 of the Man Up to Cancer Podcast, where Chas Rodgers talks about rebuilding his strength after prostate cancer
One day in Chapel Hill was a start. The friendships, conversations, and support that come after it are the point. Open Heart. Warrior Spirit. No man faces cancer alone.
