Behind the Scenes of Mr. CUSOM 2020

Mr. CUSOM is an annual male pageant hosted by Campbell University medical students to raises funds for the Campbell University Community Care Clinic (CUCCC). The CUCC  provides free medical care to underserved, uninsured patients in Harnett County and surrounding counties.

The idea of Mr. CUSOM began in 2016 when Dr. Anderson (DO ’19) wanted to promote the clinic to the campus and county communities.  Mr. CUSOM is the largest fundraiser for the Clinic and is essential to keep the clinic open. The funds raised at the event enable the clinic to provide much-needed care to patients who otherwise would have very limited options.  The clinic is supported and staffed by medical, physician assistant, and pharmacy faculty, staff and students  who volunteer their time every week to provide patient care.

Sixteen male contestants from the Class of 2023 will compete to be “Mr. CUSOM” Friday, January 17, 2020, at 7:00 pm at the Stewart Theater in Dunn, NC. They have practiced tirelessly with the help of their coaches to bring their top performance and good humor to the show.

I visited a rehearsal last week and snapped some exclusive behind the scenes photos of the contestants.  While I was there, a few contestants shared with me why they decided participate in the pageant.  Chris Morrow told me he is participating because he thought it would be a fun way to bring awareness to the issue of access to care stating, “the clinic is really important to me. It’s one of the big reasons why I chose CUSOM.” A fellow contestant, Adam Hudson, stated he wanted to, “connect with my classmates and serve an important cause.” Several other contestants mentioned the importance of community involvement to enhancing their medical education.

Kate Rhone, the Mr. CUSOM co-director, said “What better way to serve the community than a fundraiser that allows people to just have a lot of fun. This event raises money for patients who would otherwise go without healthcare, and I couldn’t imagine not being involved in it!”

Seriah Groen, next year’s Mr. CUSOM director, has a background in dance and discussed with me how being involved with the pageant allows her to have a creative outlet outside of medicine while also helping the clinic provide care for those in need.  She mentioned how inspired she is by the contestants and all of their hard work during the process of preparing for the pageant.

The energy and excitement of the contestants is infectious, and I’m sure community members and fellow Campbell students will greatly enjoy the upcoming show.

This year’s competition is circus-themed, and will include an opening number, a talent competition, formal wear, as well as other categories to keep the audience laughing throughout! There will be baked goods and snacks available for purchase  as well as a raffle and silent auction with all proceeds donated to the clinic!  The show is family-friendly, so bring all of your friends. If you have not attended in years past, you definitely don’t want to miss out on this one!

We look forward to seeing a full house at the Stewart Theater on January 17th and are thankful to all of our sponsors and friends who help make this event an annual success!