Taking My Clothes Off for Breast Cancer

Last year, I walked in the Susan G. Komen 3-day, 60 Mile Walk for the Cure in honor of a cousin of mine who was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in 2008 and had to have a double mastectomy. I blogged about those experiences here and talked about how great of an event it is.

This year, I’m walking again for my cousin, because she came through like a champ and this is kind of like a 60-mile victory lap.

But I did something else this year as well.

The fight against breast cancer has become the social cause that I want to take on and bring about some awareness and fund raising for (it’s my opinion that everyone should have some kind of social cause that they get involved with in life. Doesn’t have to be big, just something to give back to the community).

Well, I guess I found an interesting way of doing that.

Last year I found out about a group of men that created a non-profit organization to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer called the 60-Mile Men.

The main feature that the 60 Mile Men do once a year is put out a calendar.
But not just any calendar….This is a calendar where a man is picked for each month, they pick a theme and then they get photographed…..naked….

Okay, well, not completely naked. There are strategically placed objects in front of places that need objects strategically placed.

So, earlier this year, I decided that I was going to put in an application to be one of these calendar pinups and to my surprise…I was picked.

There was a hint (okay, maybe a little more than a hint…) of panic when I first found out I was picked and even had thoughts of bailing on the whole thing.

But, that lead to me to picture a woman who just go home from a radiation or chemo treatment or just waking up after getting out of surgery from having a mastectomy. Just looking like and feeling completely drained both physically and mentally.



Then someone hands her a copy of this calendar. This calendar of 12 goofy guys this year that took off their clothes to help raise funds and awareness for what she’s going through. And as she flips through it, a little crooked smile pops up on her face. Maybe that’s just enough to spark a lift in her spirits to keep her going over one of the hills that she has to climb through this ordeal.

After those thoughts went through my mind, then it became a piece of cake to say, “no problem, I can do this.”

That’s what doing this calendar and being one of the 60-Mile Men is about for me. Doing this not only for the people that I know affected by breast cancer, but doing it for those that I don’t know as well. Doing it to put a little smile on their faces and to let them know “you’re not alone. Even those that you don’t know are standing right beside you as you fight through this.”

So go check it out and order your 2011 60-Mile Men calendar today. It only cost $20 and the profits go to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure.

2011 60 Mile Men

Finally, a really big thanks to Lynda Johnson from ithadtobeyouphotography.com, the photographer that I worked with on these pictures. She did this job Pro-Bono and she was a blast to work with and the pictures turned out great. Thanks again Lynda!

Mike Navin
Mr. March 2011
60-Mile Men
60 Mile Men on Facebook