Save or donate? Our fundraising campaign in November

Men are reluctant to go to the doctor. They prefer to wait and see before sitting in the waiting room – that's the common approach of the male species. It's alarming that illnesses are easily overlooked as a result.

Therefore, November serves to raise awareness among us men: Don't hesitate, but rather consult a doctor immediately if things aren't going well.

No-Shave November, Movember and International Men's Day on November 19th are intended to help raise awareness of diseases specifically affecting men and thus avoid unnecessary risks through early detection.

Mornin' Glory fundraising campaign

Mornin' Glory had come up with something special: In addition to our own Movember Mo Space, where we collected donations for the Movember Foundation, there was a large-scale fundraising campaign in support of the Bavarian Cancer Society.

For 30 hours, we granted our customers a 13 percent discount – the customers could then decide whether they wanted to keep the discount or donate the amount directly to the Bavarian Cancer Society.

The participation was overwhelming and the response tremendous! We were truly amazed at how many customers were willing to help through their donation and thus support good causes.

Interview with Markus Besseler from the Bavarian Cancer Society

The Bavarian Cancer Society can best explain to us what will happen with the donations. Markus Besseler, a certified psychologist and managing director, was available for an interview.

He briefly explains how the Mornin' Glory fundraising campaign will further the work of the non-profit organization. Mr. Besseler, the floor is yours!

Mornin' Glory: Mr. Besseler, what is your role at the Bavarian Cancer Society?

Markus Besseler: I am a certified psychologist, psychological psychotherapist, and psycho-oncologist. The latter is an accredited advanced training program recognized by the German Cancer Society (Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft e.V.). I have worked for the Bavarian Cancer Society (Bayerische Krebsgesellschaft e.V.) for almost 15 years, including as managing director and head of counseling centers. I also provide counseling to people with cancer and their families.

Since when has the Bavarian Cancer Society existed and what tasks does it undertake?

The Bavarian Cancer Society (BKG) has been around for 90 years. Just last week, we celebrated our 90th anniversary. The BKG was initially founded in 1925 as a professional association for the fight against cancer. In the 1970s, it was renamed the Bavarian Cancer Society (BKG). Also in the 1970s, we established the first psychosocial cancer counseling centers in Bavaria. Today, there are a total of ten outpatient cancer counseling centers, plus several additional ones at Bavarian hospitals. Since 2006, we have also established "Psycho-oncological Services (POS)" at select hospitals in Bavaria. These services provide counseling and support to patients during their hospital stay, while the cancer counseling centers primarily serve patients who have already been hospitalized or are still receiving outpatient follow-up care. Helping people with cancer and their families is a key priority for us.

What exactly does this help look like?

Our primary task is to provide counseling to cancer patients and their families. This can be done in person by appointment, as well as by phone or email. In addition, we support a network of approximately 200 cancer support groups throughout Bavaria that are affiliated with us. We organize training events and supervision for these groups and are available to answer any questions they may have about organizing groups "by patients for patients." We also organize themed events and lectures and collaborate with other oncology providers, such as hospitals, doctors, therapists, other counseling centers, health insurance companies, pension funds, and many more.

What are the strengths of the Bavarian Cancer Society? How do you help people the most?

Our strength lies in providing direct support through psychosocial counseling and crisis intervention, true to our motto: "listen – support – help." This also includes further services such as courses, groups, sports, nutritional counseling, pension consultations, medical Q&A sessions, and more. Because our primary professions are combined with our qualifications as psycho-oncologists, we can address the specific challenges faced by those affected. Furthermore, nutritional counseling, pension consultations, and medical Q&A sessions are conducted by experts in their respective fields.

How can you address the concerns of those affected?

Well, thanks to our extensive experience, we know how best to help. Furthermore, those affected can usually get an appointment with us quickly. No doctor's referral is needed, and the consultations are free of charge. Therefore, there are no long waiting times with us. People with cancer and their families need help quickly and close to home. We provide that help.

What motivates you? Why do you help other people?

I personally find great joy in helping people through difficult life situations. Cancer affects us all. I say this because illness is often taboo in our society. People don't necessarily want to confront it if they aren't affected. Yet those who seem healthy today can find themselves on the other side tomorrow. I'm particularly interested in how people cope with this existential challenge – cancer is still associated with illness and death in our society, even though that hasn't been true for a long time – and what kind of help and support they need. We help identify these resources or rediscover them.

A very important point. Do you receive any support from the Free State of Bavaria for your activities, or are you 100% dependent on donations?

We are a non-profit organization. We are also currently establishing a foundation, "Bavaria Against Cancer." Our services are funded approximately 50-60% by public grants from the Free State of Bavaria and the individual districts. Conversely, this means that we also rely on donations to fulfill all our responsibilities. Donations account for about 40% of our budget. Without these contributions, we could not maintain our services to the current extent. In the long term, however, we know that only secure funding can guarantee the continuation of our services. Therefore, we are advocating for our services—psychosocial cancer counseling—to be covered by statutory health insurance and other social security providers.

How does the donation from Mornin' Glory customers support your work?

Donations from Mornin' Glory customers directly support our counseling work. This work is only partially funded by public grants from the Free State of Bavaria and its districts. Furthermore, we will also need the donations for our hardship fund. This fund provides one-time financial assistance to people with cancer who have fallen into financial hardship due to their illness.

Excellent, our customers will certainly be pleased. If anyone would like to help further, what can they do for the Bavarian Cancer Society?

If you would like to support the Bavarian Cancer Society (Bayerische Krebsgesellschaft e.V.), the best way is through direct donations. However, we would also be delighted if you became a member or contributed to our foundation, which is currently being established. Only a strong association can effectively and sustainably address the needs of those who depend on us. Therefore, we welcome any support that serves this goal.

Would you like to say a few final words?

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude for your support on behalf of those affected. It's fantastic how Mornin' Glory is getting involved and conveying our message.

Thank you very much, Mr. Besseler, for the open discussion!

And of course, a heartfelt thank you to the many generous customers who made our 2015 fundraising campaign a success. We will also make sure to contribute again in 2016 as part of Movember.

Nevertheless, all men should be aware that only through preventative care and regular check-ups can illnesses be detected and treated in time. We ourselves will have to improve in this regard – but that's precisely what November is for.

More information is available at www.bayerische-krebsgesellschaft.de