For more than half of all men (53%), avoiding regular health check-ups is the norm. That was a finding from Movember’s Real Face of Men’s Health Report, which also reported that 63% of men feel that their health behaviours are negatively impacted by gender stereotypes related to men’s health. Yet, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, half of all deaths in Australian men under 75 were potentially avoidable.
This year for International Men’s Day we chose to focus on two simple actions that support men’s health. The first is Check In, connecting with the men around you. The second is Check Up, encouraging men to prioritise their own health.
Mick McKeown, GM Sales & Marketing at Good Drinks, and Darren Dalzell, Fever-Tree’s Senior Marketing & Partnerships Manager, both shared what the theme of Check In. Check Up. means to them.
Checking up starts with the everyday
Checking up means GP appointments, skin checks and blood pressure checks. But it also means the everyday choices that each of us make that shape our long-term health.
For Mick, his three young boys are a big driver behind his health. “I need to make sure they see me active and doing stuff, and being present as well,” he says.
In an industry as social as drinks, Mick focuses on his health by always having a health or fitness goal to work towards. He trains three to four times a week, helps coach his kids’ sport and has his next events marked in the diary, from a triathlon to a 5km fun run with the boys. “Having that next thing to keep your health in check has kept me sane,” he says.
For Darren, exercise is as much about his mental health as his physical health. Since moving from London to Sydney, he has adopted the “5 to 9 before the 9 to 5” mentality, making the most of the mornings with a run or spin class before work. “That’s a big part of how I look after myself mentally, even more than physically,” he says.
Checking in is more than a question
Checking in means taking the time to ask how the men around you are really doing, and creating a workplace where conversations about mental wellbeing feel normal.
Darren says that a genuine check-in is more than a passing “how are you?” in the morning. If he notices that a friend or colleague may not be themselves, he asks them to go for a coffee or picks up the phone because that’s how he would want to be approached himself.
Mick brings a family approach to work. “We open our leadership meetings with a check-in and make it a confidential space, so people don’t have to give the usual ‘I’m all good’ answer,” he says. He often goes first. “I’ve started plenty of meetings by saying, ‘I’m struggling at the moment, and here’s why,’ whether that’s because of work or home. When a leader does that, it builds trust and lets the team see the real you, not just the work facade. Giving someone a space where they can open up, even a little, can make a big difference.”
Living on the other side of the world from his family and friends, Darren says that joining Pride in Drinks gave him a community to lean on. “It’s so amazing to be part of a community that genuinely cares for each other. We all face similar deadlines across the year so have regular check-ins to make sure everyone is ok.” As a member of the Connect team, Darren loves that he can now help to create those connections for others through Pride in Drinks events.
Mick’s advice to men who may be facing struggles is to take the first step. “There’s more people willing to help than you think,” he says. “The first step is the hardest but if you’re having trouble, it’s just being able to verbalise it and talk to someone.”
If you or someone you know needs further help, support is available through MensLine Australia, Beyond Blue, Movember and Lifeline.
This article was written as one in a series for International Men’s Day 2026. By recognising this day, we’re helping to put men’s health and wellbeing on the agenda.