Moye’s Pharmacy Founder, Tony Moye, signed on to Piedmont Henry Hospital’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign, in part, because he lost his wife to breast cancer when she was 48 years old. At a recent kickoff event for the endeavor, Moye emphasized the need for education about the disease.

  “We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go,” said Moye. “It’s something that touches all of us. Hopefully, if we can just make it better for a few people, we’ve done our job.”

  The hospital unveiled its 11th breast-cancer awareness campaign October 1 at Southern Roots Tavern & Eatery in McDonough.

  Piedmont Henry’s Chief Executive Officer, Deborah Armstrong, said the goal of the campaign is to spread the word about the importance of early detection.

  “It just gives us an opportunity to take the message and multiply it 10 or 12 times,” said Armstrong. “Every Real Man we have this year, and that we’ve had in all the years prior, keeps carrying the message. So we’re multiplying, throughout the county, the importance of early detection to prevent death from breast cancer.”

  State House Rep. El-Mahdi Holly was eager to take part in Real Men Wear Pink this year. One reason for that, he said, is because of a friend who passed away from the disease during his run for office.

  “She was 43 years old, and she knew within a space of three weeks that she had contracted stage 4 breast cancer,” said Holly. “Having to say goodbye to her so early, it really made a very serious issue even more serious because it hit close to home. I lost her. I miss her.”

  Holly said in light of his friend’s passing, he strives to educate women as well as men about the disease.

  “Men also are prone to get breast cancer,” he said. “It’s important that we engage with people that we love by looking at them and saying that just as I was able to lose my close friend, their own family members might lose them if they don’t hear the truth about why it’s necessary that they get tested for breast cancer.”

  Dean McAvoy, operations support manager for the Georgia Power call center, is part of Real Men Wear Pink. He said he and his wife, Judy, have friends whose lives were affected by breast cancer, and that he wants to bring awareness to the disease – particularly among his co-workers.

  “We’ve got over 500 people who work in our call center,” said McAvoy. “I want to raise awareness with all the employees there and help them understand the seriousness of cancer, early detection, well-being and health.”

  District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes said he is grateful to be a part of Real Men Wear Pink for 2019. He said the fight against breast cancer is important for Henry County, and for all communities.

  “Breast cancer is a debilitating disease that has taken a lot of lives and affected a lot of people throughout the country – actually throughout the world,” said Holmes. “I’m just happy to be here to bring awareness to this disease and let women know they need to get tested often.”

  Additional participants in this year’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign are: Gerard Brayboy of PVH Corp.; J.D. Hardin, of Henry County Schools; Gary Lee of Academy Properties; Rusty Strawn of Strawn & Co. Insurance; George Patterson of Henry County government; Kevin Foskey of Nestle USA; Scott Harrison of the Henry County Water Authority; and Derek Haeney of ALPLA.

  Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark, a past participant in Real Men Wear Pink, came to this year’s kickoff in memory of a co-worker. Marcy Scott, former director of marketing and promotion at AMS, died of breast cancer in 2013 at age 42.

  “We lost her too soon,” said Clark. “We named our Media Center in her memory, and any opportunity I get to do something to support a great cause like this, I’m more than proud to do it in Marcy’s memory. She was not only a great employee but a dear friend, and we all miss her.”

  State Farm Agent Brian Andrews, another past participant in Real Men Wear Pink, was in attendance for this year’s kickoff. He said the fight against breast cancer is essential during the month of October, and all year long.

  “This is something we have to support every day,” said Andrews. “It’s not a one-time-a-year deal. Every day, you have to be dedicated to education and self-checks. Vigilance is key.”