Geelong mates growing their mos in bid to break men’s mental health stigma

Two Geelong mates are on a mission to end the stigma around men’s mental health after losing two of their peers to suicide when they were in high school.

Two mates from Bounce in Grovedale, Arden Cunneen and Sam Nicopoulos, are raising money for Movember and are on a mission to end the stigma around men's mental health. Picture: Mark Wilson

Sam Nicopoulos and Arden Cunneen have experienced the heartbreak of losing mates to suicide first-hand.

The former St Joseph’s College students lost two of their peers to suicide.

In 2020, Abe Knox died aged 15, and Tom Barnett aged 16.

“I went to primary school with Abe and I used to referee basketball with him, I’d known him for a long time,” Mr Nicopoulos said.

“I played footy with Tom and we were on the debating team in year 7.

“It was a shock … there was no way we could tell how those boys were feeling.”

According to the Coroners Court of Victoria, there were 570 suspected suicides between January to September this year.

Mr Nicopoulos said losing his two friends to suicide opened his eyes to men’s mental health. Picture: Mark Wilson

Mr Nicopoulos said Tom and Abe’s deaths opened his eyes to the problem around men’s mental health.

“Teenage boys are the type who don’t like to talk about their feelings or how they are going,” he said.

“It’s really important for us to try and break those stigmas.”

Mr Nicopoulos and Mr Cunneen, who both work at Bounce Inc. in Geelong, have teamed up with their colleagues to raise money for Movember, a cause they have been participating in since they were students at the college.

“Before 2020, I wasn’t one to talk about how I was feeling,” Mr Nicopoulos said.

“After what had happened, I realised it’s so important to talk about how I’m going but also ask others and encourage them to do that same.”

Mr Nicopoulos and Mr Cunneen are determined to break the stigma around men’s mental health.

“We want all the boys and men in our lives to feel like they can be open (with how they are going) and they don’t have to lock their feelings inside,” he said.

“This is a problem that has impacted so many generations of men and I feel like it’s starting to change but it’s not enough.

“We need to keep pushing and keep letting boys know it’s okay to open up.

“If they don’t, that is when we have tragedies like we’ve already experienced.”

The mates have raised more than $3800 for the cause and held auction earlier this month selling off Movember merchandise, which raised an extra $2400.

Mr Nicopoulos also shaved off his afro for the campaign.

“A whole bunch of people chipped in and then everyone shaved a little bit off,” he said.

Mr Nicopoulos is determined to continue to participate in Movember for years to come.

To donate, head to au.movember.com/team/2442292.

For support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Barwon Health mental health, drugs and alcohol triage on 1300 094 187

Originally published as Geelong mates growing their mos in bid to break men’s mental health stigma