This Men’s Health Month:

Let’s Shift the Focus to DAD!

This June, during Men’s Health Month, we’re calling attention to an often-overlooked reality:

When it comes to healthcare, fathers are too often forgotten.

While we celebrate and admire the countless ways dads show up for their families—as providers, protectors, teachers, mentors, and role models—our healthcare systems and public conversations routinely fail to show up for them.

And the cost? Families, children, and communities suffer.

As we honor Men’s Health Month 2025, and its core message of closing the Empathy Gap, it’s time we acknowledge a truth that should no longer be sidelined:

Healthy dads are essential to healthy families.

This month, we’re urging individuals, organizations, and policymakers to include fatherhood in every aspect of men’s health outreach and advocacy.

The Role of Fathers: Essential, Yet Undervalued in Health Conversations

Research shows what many of us already know: involved fathers make a difference. According to data highlighted this month:

• Children with actively engaged fathers are 43% more likely to earn A’s in school
• They are far less likely to engage in risky behaviors, including substance use and early sexual activity
• Father involvement has been linked to better emotional regulation, higher self-esteem, and improved social behavior in children

Yet despite these outcomes, men’s health infrastructure rarely prioritizes or even recognizes the role of dads.

There is no “Fatherhood Screening.”

No proactive mental health check for dads or even new dads.

No comprehensive care path that recognizes the emotional, physical, and psychological demands of fatherhood. Often, men become fathers without receiving even a basic discussion about their own health needs.

That’s not just neglect—it’s a systemic failure.

Skipped Screenings, Hidden Struggles, Delayed Care

The Empathy Gap—the central theme of Men’s Health Month 2025—refers to the widespread lack of care, funding, and attention given to men’s health concerns. That gap widens even more when the man in question is a father.

Think about it:

• New moms are offered postpartum mental health screenings. New dads? Not even asked how they’re doing.
• Fathers are expected to provide, protect, and perform—but aren’t encouraged to get regular heart health checks, cancer screenings, or mental health assessments.
• Conversations around work-life balance, parental leave, and emotional labor rarely include the father’s perspective—despite evidence that stress and burnout affect men deeply.

The result? Dads put their health last—until it’s too late.

This year’s toolkit from Men’s Health Network (MHN) reminds us that men die, on average, six years earlier than women—often from preventable causes. Prostate cancer, testicular cancer, heart disease, and suicide are just some of the issues that disproportionately affect men, especially those over 35—prime fatherhood years.

The problem is not just that men don’t get care. It’s that our systems don’t ask them to. We don’t remind them. We don’t support them. We don’t design care systems with fatherhood in mind.

That’s the empathy gap in action—and it’s time to close it.

Dads Fight Battles We Don’t Always See

The theme of Men’s Health Month 2025—“Bring Empathy Back: Men Fight Battles We Can’t Always See”—takes on a unique and powerful meaning when applied to fathers.

Father’s Day is next week, which makes this an especially important time to reflect on and support dads everywhere. We may not always know the burdens they shoulder. Many men feel it’s best to stay silent about the physical or mental pain they’re carrying. They just want to be the rock in their family—the steady protector who never asks for help.

But we must remember: even the strongest need support. Too many fathers are suffering in silence, believing it’s their role to bear it all alone. Whether it’s unspoken anxiety, untreated chronic pain, or invisible burnout, these internal battles are real—and often devastating if left unaddressed.

Fatherhood, while rewarding, is not without real mental, emotional, and physical tolls. And when these burdens go unacknowledged or unaddressed, they don’t disappear—they compound.

This is why Men’s Health Network is calling for a shift: from silence to support, from neglect to proactive care.

Make Fatherhood Part of the Message

If we want to improve men’s health outcomes, we must stop treating dads as secondary citizens in their own health journeys. This Men’s Health Month, MHN urges you to:

🧠 Include fathers in mental health conversations

Mental health challenges don’t stop at the delivery room. Postpartum depression and parenting stress affect fathers too—yet most are never screened or asked how they’re coping. This month, start those conversations. Check in. Share mental health resources. Normalize vulnerability in fatherhood.

🩺 Promote regular health screenings for dads

Encourage the men in your life—especially those with young children—to schedule routine screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, cancer, and diabetes. When fathers prioritize their health, they model that behavior for their children.

💬 Create space for father-focused dialogue

If you’re a community leader, faith-based organization, employer, or educator—host an event or discussion that centers fathers. Use the free Men’s Health Month Toolkit at MensHealthMonth.org for messaging, social media content, and promotional materials.

📣 Advocate for healthcare systems that serve fathers

Push for father-friendly policies in healthcare, including mental health screening protocols, parental leave benefits, and male-centric health education. If dads feel invisible in the doctor’s office, we can’t be surprised when they stop going.

“Wear Blue” for Fathers Every Friday in June

One of the most visible—and powerful—ways to support Men’s Health Month is by participating in “Wear Blue” Fridays each week in June.

This year, we encourage people to specifically dedicate their June 13th “Wear Blue” Day to dads.

• Post a photo with your father, grandfather, or mentor using hashtags #HealthyDads and #FathersMatter
• Organize a “Wear Blue” event in your workplace or community
• Use your platform to tell the story of a father who inspired you—and who deserves better access to care

You can also support the cause by purchasing pins, hats, and other awareness gear from the MHN Store.

Recognizing the Organization That Started It All

Behind Men’s Health Month, Men’s Health Week, and the international momentum that now surrounds both is Men’s Health Network (MHN)—the leading nonprofit dedicated to improving the health and well-being of men, boys, and their families.

Since its founding in 1992, MHN has:

• Spearheaded awareness campaigns in all 50 states
• Advocated for bipartisan legislation on men’s health
• Created the blueprint for today’s international men’s health movement
• Developed trusted resources that help individuals, families, employers, and health professionals make a difference

If you’re engaging with Men’s Health Month this year, you’re standing on MHN’s shoulders. And that’s a good place to be.

This Father’s Day, Care for the Caregivers

Father’s Day is next week. Let’s make this more than a holiday. Let it be a reminder that while we honor dads for all they do, we must also ask: what are we doing for them?

We don’t build strong families by burning out fathers. We build them by investing in dads as whole people—with bodies, minds, and hearts that deserve care.

Let’s stop waiting until a father becomes a patient in crisis. Let’s make him a priority from the start.

Take Action Today

This Men’s Health Month, make a personal commitment to supporting the fathers in your life:

✅ Schedule a check-in
✅ Start a conversation
✅ Share a resource
✅ Wear blue
✅ Donate to MHN
✅ Host a dad-focused event
✅ Advocate for men’s health

Let’s bring empathy back—starting with dad.

🔗 Download the free 2025 Toolkit now:

MensHealthMonth.org

#FathersMatter #HealthyDads #MensHealthMonth #TheEmpathyGap #WearBlueFriday #SupportMensHealth #BringEmpathyBack