Life is precious, don't take it for granted.
Most people hear the word “survivor” and assume the battle is over. But for Hugo Toovey, survival isn’t just about what he’s been through—it’s about what he continues to face every single day.
Still in his early thirties, Hugo has survived both testicular and bowel cancer, along with years of brutal treatment. He has endured countless surgeries, including the loss of a testicle, part of his reproductive system, all of his abdominal lymph nodes, his large bowel, his rectum, and part of his small bowel.
But the biggest battle wasn’t just cancer—it was learning how to live with a body that will never be the same. The physical scars are obvious. The mental scars? Not so much. The ongoing pain, the medical complications, the daily challenges—this is his reality.
Yet instead of letting it break him, Hugo has turned his pain into purpose, using his story to help others take control of their health before it’s too late.
An Army Major and founder of 25 STAY ALIVE, Hugo speaks with raw honesty, vulnerability, and humour, making even the toughest conversations feel real and relatable. He doesn’t just share a story—he shifts perspectives, ignites action, and leaves people with a reminder they won’t forget:
Life is precious; don’t take it for granted.
Talking Points
A Journey of Resilience and Transformation
A poignant keynote that chronicles Hugo's decade-long battle with two cancers, revealing profound personal growth and resilience. Attendees will be inspired by Hugo's unwavering determination and courage, gaining insights into cultivating their own resilience in the face of adversity.A Journey of Resilience and Transformation
The transformative power of hardship will be a central theme, offering a roadmap for personal and professional growth. This presentation will empower the audience with practical strategies to overcome challenges, providing tangible tools to apply in their own lives.
Key Takeaways:
1. Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Discover Hugo's inspiring journey, cultivating insights into navigating personal and professional challenges with strength and courage.
2. Transformative Power of Hardship: Learn how adversity can lead to profound personal and professional growth, offering a roadmap for transformative change.
3. Practical Strategies for Overcoming Challenges: Gain practical tools from Hugo's experiences to navigate obstacles, empowering individuals to overcome challenges and thrive personally and professionally.
The audience will have a renewed perspective, fostering a positive and resilient organisational culture that can adapt and thrive in the face of challenges.
Don't Wait Until It's Too Late
A compelling keynote presentation that underscores the critical importance of proactive engagement with both physical and mental health. Drawing from his personal experiences, Hugo emphasises the life-saving impact of early detection & prevention. The presentation also outlines the A.L.I.V.E Framework, urging individuals to Act on Symptoms, Look after themselves, Initiate conversations, Visit their GP, and Express their emotions. These 5 principles are a roadmap to saving lives.Don't Wait Until It's Too Late
Key Takeaways:
1. Proactive Health Engagement: Learning from Hugo's experiences, attendees will gain a heightened awareness of the significance of proactive health measures.
2. ALIVE Framework: The ALIVE Framework provides practical steps for individuals to implement in their daily lives, empowering them to Act on Symptoms, Look after themselves, Initiate conversations, Visit their GP, and Express their emotions. This framework will lead to people living happier, healthier & longer lives.
3. Emphasis on Early Detection: The presentation highlights the life-saving impact of early detection, prompting attendees to recognise the value of timely intervention in maintaining and safeguarding their health... and not waiting until it's too late.
This presentation will not only contribute to individual well-being but also has the potential to minimise absenteeism and cultivate a more engaged and productive workforce.
The Courage to Lead: Harnessing Vulnerability for Stronger Leadership
Major Hugo Toovey of the Australian Army shares a powerful narrative about how his health challenges have shaped him into a stronger leader. The presentation explores the contagious nature of vulnerability and its transformative impact on team dynamics, emphasising the importance of leading with authenticity. Hugo highlights how some of the most impactful leaders in the Army are those who embrace vulnerability, fostering empathy and resilience in times of crisis.The Courage to Lead: Harnessing Vulnerability for Stronger Leadership
Key Takeaways:
1. Courageous Leadership by Example: Attendees will be inspired by Hugo's journey, gaining insights into the transformative power of vulnerability in leadership. The presentation illustrates how vulnerability can serve as a catalyst for courage, leading to stronger and more authentic leadership.
2. Contagious Vulnerability: Hugo's experiences underscore how vulnerability can be contagious, encouraging open communication and fostering a culture where team members feel empowered to share their experiences. Leaders will leave with practical strategies to cultivate openness and support within their teams.
3. Leading with Empathy and Resilience: The presentation provides a deeper understanding of effective leadership during times of crisis. Hugo's insights into leading with empathy, resilience, and authenticity equip the audience with tangible skills to navigate challenges, fostering a positive and resilient organizational culture.
This presentation will contribute to a positive organisational culture, improved team dynamics, and heightened effectiveness in navigating complex situations.
Empowering Voices: A Journey Through Patient Advocacy
"Empowering Voices" immerses attendees in the profound journey of patient advocacy through the compelling decade-long odyssey of Hugo. Amidst a relentless battle against testicular cancer, bowel cancer, and Crohn's disease, Hugo shares his transformative experiences, marked by numerous surgeries, ongoing treatments, hospital visits, and intricate specialist interactions. This keynote underscores the enduring resilience demonstrated throughout a decade of health challenges, emphasizing the pivotal role of storytelling and lived experience in navigating the complexities of healthcare. Hugo's narrative becomes a powerful testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of a multitude of health adversities.Empowering Voices: A Journey Through Patient Advocacy
Key Takeaways:
1. The Transformative Power of Storytelling: Witness the profound impact of storytelling as Hugo shares his personal journey. Attendees will leave with an appreciation for the transformative influence of personal narratives in empowering patients within the healthcare system.
2. Patient-Centred Advocacy: Hugo's advocacy journey becomes a guiding narrative, offering insights into patient-centred advocacy. The audience gains a deeper understanding of the importance of amplifying patient voices and their role in advocating for themselves and others.
3. Navigating Healthcare Challenges: Gain practical insights into navigating the complexities of healthcare, from interacting with various specialists to coping with surgeries and mental health battles. Attendees, including healthcare professionals, will leave with valuable perspectives to enhance patient care.
Tangible outcomes include improved patient-provider communication, enhanced patient empowerment, and a more compassionate and patient-centric healthcare approach fostered by the shared insights from Hugo's experiences.
Mind Matters: Unleashing the Power of Mental Fitness
In "Mind Matters," Hugo unveils a powerful exploration of mental fitness, drawing from personal battles with testicular and bowel cancer, Crohn's disease, and the poignant loss of his best mate to suicide. Through a deeply personal narrative, Hugo reveals the emotional toll of neglecting mental health during physical health battles. The keynote introduces the ALIVE Framework, emphasising social connectedness, enhanced support networks, and the importance of mental fitness.Mind Matters: Unleashing the Power of Mental Fitness
Key Takeaways:
1. Prioritizing Mental Fitness: Attendees will gain a profound understanding of the importance of mental fitness, learning from Hugo's personal journey. The presentation highlights the emotional toll of neglecting mental health during physical health challenges and underscores the imperative of prioritising mental well-being.
2. ALIVE Framework for Mental Health: The ALIVE Framework becomes a focal point, offering practical strategies for mental health. Through social connectedness, enhanced support networks, and a focus on mental fitness, attendees will leave with tangible tools to integrate into their lives for improved mental well-being.
3. Addressing Mental Health Stigma: Hugo's poignant journey, marked by the loss of his best mate to suicide, initiates a crucial dialogue about mental health stigma. Attendees will not only gain valuable insights into recognizing the silent struggles individuals may endure but will also be empowered to actively challenge and dismantle mental health stigma.
The presentation aims to inspire a collective commitment toward fostering a more compassionate, understanding, and supportive community—one that encourages open conversations about mental health and ensures that no one suffers in silence.
Video
Major Hugo Toovey | Founder of 25 STAY ALIVE, a Two-Time Cancer Survivor & Mental Health Advocate
In this powerful keynote, Major Hugo Toovey, founder of 25 STAY ALIVE, shares his deeply personal journey as a two-time cancer survivor and mental health advocate. Hugo opens up about the critical importance of mental health, particularly for men, and how prioritising mental well-being is just as vital as physical health. Through his story, Hugo sheds light on the often overlooked struggles men face when it comes to addressing mental health and offers practical insights on how to seek help and build resilience. Whether you're looking to book a Speaker for a corporate event, conference, or men's health seminar, Hugo’s authentic and inspiring message will resonate with audiences from all walks of life. Want to learn more about Hugo Toovey and how he can inspire your audience? Visit his Saxton Speakers page for more information and booking details:Major Hugo Toovey | The Power of a Village | Saxton Speakers
Major Hugo Toovey is no stranger to adversity. As a cancer survivor and mental health advocate, he knows firsthand the impact of life’s toughest challenges—not just on individuals, but on their families, friends, and communities. In his powerful talks, Hugo shares why having a strong support network—your ‘village’—is essential in overcoming hardship. With raw honesty, he reflects on his personal journey, the weight of battling illness, and the crucial role his support system played in helping him push forward. His message is clear: we all need people who lift us up in our darkest moments. Through engaging storytelling and interactive exercises, Hugo inspires audiences to reflect on their own support networks and the importance of resilience.Cancer Survivor Hugo Toovey | Saxton Speakers
Cancer survivor and Australian Army Captain Hugo Toovey shares his powerful journey through testicular cancer with a unique mix of humour and authenticity. Starting with a light-hearted story about receiving a prosthetic testicle, Hugo explores the life-altering experiences that followed - from his chemotherapy treatments to his battles with vulnerability, fear, and resilience. His candid approach has not only created conversations among friends but has also encouraged young men to get checked, potentially saving lives.Dyl & Friends | #67 Hugo Toovey
Hugo Toovey is a two-time cancer survivor with an incredible story. At 19 years of age, Hugo’s life drastically changed when he was first diagnosed with testicular cancer. He shares his incredible journey with us in beating the disease over a 5 year period as well as what he’s learnt along the way. However, unfortunately his story doesn’t finish there. Two months after being cleared free from this insidious disease, he was then diagnosed with bowel cancer which he has bravely battled through but still has lasting effects on his everyday life today. Now living cancer free, he shares his story to encourage early prevention, keeping on top of our physical and mental health and most importantly being proactive in checking in with the GP. Hugo teaches us not to put these uncomfortable check-ups off and I know I’ll be taking this more seriously. I learnt a lot from this great man about not taking life for granted, being positive in any situation and identifying what’s important in life. This is obviously a pretty heavy topic and this chat isn’t designed to scare people. It’s just to show that we need to be more proactive with our health in general. There are some sensitive topics we touch on regarding mental health so if there are any triggers for you please know there is support and there will be plenty of links in access below.MOVEMBER | In conversation with Dr Izzy Smith & Hugo Toovey
Audio
Hugo Toovey was incredibly inspiring – from his sense of humour to his highly relatable and heartfelt messages, our audience was captivated throughout. Hugo’s personal commitment to helping ... keep reading Nestle
Hugo shared one of the most inspirational and engaging stories I’ve ever heard.
Hugo shared a very personal, powerful and inspiring story that provided the team a strong sense of hope, comfort and purpose. He strikes deep empathy in making sure people learn from his experiences, and I have no doubt he will leave a legacy of awareness, care and optimism amongst our team.
Hugo was the ultimate professional. His communication was clear, concise and timely and his presentation informative, heart-felt and genuine. Highly highly recommend.
Highly engaging and simply outstanding.
