'Real Men' of Jacksonville area to raise money, wear pink for American Cancer Society campaign

Real men wear pink, according to the American Cancer Society.

But which prominent Northeast Florida man will raise the most money for the society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in October and be named the top Real Man?

Thirty-five men began their Real Men Wear Pink campaigns at an event kickoff Friday. Eric Mann, president and CEO of the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast, was one of them.

“My mother died from breast cancer way too early,” he said. “Earlier detection may have helped save her life, that’s why I joined the … society in support of their lifesaving work by becoming a candidate in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign.”

At Making Strides walks across the country, participants come together to celebrate breast cancer survivors and raise money and awareness for the society, which funds research and education, among other things. Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women and the most common cancer diagnosed in women other than skin cancer. An estimated 246,660 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and an estimated 40,450 will die from the disease this year, according to the society.

Real Men candidates volunteered or were nominated by friends. In addition to raising money between now and the walk and wearing pink in October, their collective mission is to “use their creativity, determination and energy to encourage the ladies in their lives and the community to take action in the fight against breast cancer,” according to the society.

Their effort runs until 5 p.m. Oct. 20, and the top fundraiser — and Real Man title holder for 2017 — will be recognized at the walk Oct. 21.

“Our community can make a huge impact in the fight against breast cancer,” said Charlene Shirk, Real Men Wear Pink chairwoman. “My mother is a breast cancer survivor and we are grateful to our … participants for lending their voices to our cause and fighting for everyone touched by breast cancer.”

Franklin Danley, the local Making Strides event chairman and Regions Bank city president and executive vice president, also will be one of the candidates.

“Being a husband, a father of three girls and having just watched a high school classmate pass away from breast cancer, I want to do everything in my power to help eradicate this disease,” he said. “Through the years I have lost multiple family members to cancer and I can’t think of a better way to raise awareness than to partner with the American Cancer Society and lead the fundraising efforts of the … walk here in Jacksonville.”

Proceeds from the Real Men fundraiser and teams that have signed up to walk “allow the society to be there for those touched by breast cancer, from research to education, prevention to diagnosis, and treatment to recovery,” he said. “Every action we take moves us one step closer to a world free from the pain and suffering caused by breast cancer.”

Beth Reese Cravey: (904) 359-4109