"Knowing that I could make it through such an impossibly challenging situation has reinvigorated me to keep living life to the fullest."

About Andrew:

Andrew and wife hikingI was born with Cystic Fibrosis (diagnosed at three months old) and have faced numerous challenges physically and mentally throughout my life.

In 1979, when I was born, the average lifespan for a CF patient was just 17 years. My parents never kept details of my condition from me, so I grew up fully aware of my own potential early mortality. This knowledge, along with the constant need for medical interventions and hospitalizations, placed a great deal of mental and physical stress on me, but also encouraged me to seize opportunities and try to make the most of life.  

I’m now training with a small group of friends to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on May 27, 2025, in order to raise money to support HeadsUpGuys.

WHAT WAS THE MAJOR TURNING POINT IN YOUR RECOVERY MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY

When I was 37, I received a double lung transplant to address life threatening lung disease, and shortly afterwards I was in a motorcycle accident that resulted in further surgeries to my hip, leg, ankle, wrist and shoulder. This period broke me both mentally and physically, and made me feel like I needed to retreat into my mind. 

Even through this experience, though, I feel that life is beautiful and precious, and there is still so much to enjoy. Knowing that I could make it through such an impossibly challenging situation has reinvigorated me to keep living life to the fullest.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT REALLY HELPED?

  • Taking treatments seriously and staying active: Staying as healthy as possible and remaining as active as I can helps to keep me mentally strong.
  • Enjoying outdoor activities: Activities like fishing, hiking, and camping have helped me find peace and reconnect with nature.
  • Setting my own pace allowed me to keep doing activities that I love at an adjusted rate.
  • Perspective on life: Through everything that has been thrown at me, I’ve tried to focus on the beauty and preciousness of life.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER GUYS FIGHTING TO IMPROVE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH?

  • I’m not big on giving advice; however, I would say that our minds are a powerful tool. This tool for me is amazing in its ability to help get through troubling times if I can focus on the positives and wonders of life. (Focus on the positives like a small task accomplished or the way the sun rises and sets, the sounds and smells of nature. It doesn’t always have to be a lot).
  • I also compartmentalise a lot. I don’t know how I learned to do this but if I am being overwhelmed by a situation or in excessive pain I can “put it away” in my mind. I can box out pain and my brain won’t acknowledge it for a certain period of time and then it will often subside. Also, if I start to have anxiety about my health and my mortality I will box it out and focus on either tasks at hand, exercise, hiking, building something etc. and soon the anxiety will go away.

Andrew Brownell, Armstrong B.C., Canada


Join Andrew and his Friends in Supporting HeadsUpGuys

Andrew and Friends atop mountain peak

Join Andrew Brownell and his community on an epic climb to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness and funds for HeadsUpGuys, supporting men’s mental health, one step at a time. Together, we can help men conquer their own challenges, just as Andrew will conquer Africa’s highest peak.

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