Press Release - An empowering morning - Men Get Breast Cancer Too!

To raise awareness and encourage men to check themselves regularly, six men (download free to use images here) who have had breast cancer were brought together in London on Tuesday 3rd October by Walk the Walk. It is believed to be the largest group of men who have had breast cancer, to have gathered in the UK. Some of the men had never met another male breast cancer patient before and shared their incredible stories for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Three hundred and fifty* men a year are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK and 80* men die of the disease. However, a new survey published by breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, and carried out by YouGov, shows that while 82% of British men are aware they can get breast cancer, 54% of men have never checked their breasts for symptoms of the disease.

According to the YouGov survey, only 68% of British men know that a lump in the breast/chest area could be a symptom of breast cancer, compared to 91% of women. Just 31% of men know that an inverted nipple could be a sign of breast cancer, while 39% are aware that discharge from the nipple is a cause for concern. The awareness figures for women are more than double, at 75% and 79% respectively.

Walk the Walk are the organisers of The MoonWalk London, where both men and women walk marathons at Midnight wearing brightly decorated bras. Walk the Walk has raised £121 million** over the last 21 years, which is granted to help fund research into breast cancer in men and women and to help improve the lives of all those with cancer now.

Research funded by Walk the Walk has included Breast Cancer Now's Male Breast Cancer Study, the largest of its kind into the causes of breast cancer in men. Walk the Walk is also one of the major funders of the Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank – researchers have been able to study samples of male breast tumours from the Tissue Bank. Walk the Walk has granted a total of more than £30 million over the last 20 years to Breast Cancer Now for a variety of research projects. With men currently treated for breast cancer in the same way as women, all breast cancer research funded by Walk the Walk has the potential to benefit men as well as women.

The six men who have had breast cancer, who gathered in London were Dave Talbot (60) from Bristol, Bryan Thorn (48) from Port Talbot, Giles Cooper (56) from Conderton, Mike Greenhalgh (61) from Abthorpe near Towcester, Richard Galloway (60) from the Wirral and Roy Collins (63) from Bexhill-on-Sea.

Dave Talbot said: "I think most of a man's breast cancer journey is a solo route. It's been great to meet others who have had the same experience."

Bryan Thorn continued: "I'm really keen to raise awareness and I've always said that after my diagnosis I wanted to get the word out that men do get breast cancer. I've loved getting to know the five other men who have been affected and listen to their stories."

Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk said: "It's been a really empowering morning for men. It's wonderful to hear men openly talking about cancer and about breast cancer and it really feels that we've ignited something very positive. Hopefully, through the courage shown by the guys who've all had breast cancer, it is the first step towards making a difference for men."

*Source: Breast Cancer Now, September 2017
**Source: Walk the Walk, September 2017

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Notes to Editors

• Sally Orr at Walk the Walk. 07796 080 675 [email protected]
• Claire Duncan at Walk the Walk. 01483 741430 [email protected]

Survey

• All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2028 adults, of which 926 were men. Field work was undertaken between 21st and 22nd September 2017. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+)

Walk the Walk

• Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive, set up and now runs Walk the Walk Worldwide.
• Walk the Walk specialises in fitness and Power Walking challenges.
• HRH The Prince of Wales is the official Patron of Walk the Walk.
• As a grant-making charity, all funds are raised for Walk the Walk and then granted to where the charity feels they will do the most good.
• Walk the Walk funds are granted to projects that not only support research, important to all our future health, but also support a variety of projects that are supporting cancer patients now throughout the UK.
• To date grants have been made to charities and organisations throughout the UK including Breast Cancer Now, The Breast Cancer Haven, Penny Brohn UK and hundreds of NHS Hospitals and Trusts for which we supply Scalp Cooling Systems.
• Breast Cancer Now's Male Breast Cancer Study takes place at The Institute of Cancer Research, London
• The charity also has a community grant fund which each year grants to smaller organisations. Helen Rollason Cancer Charity, Tenovus Cancer Care, The Christie, Cancer Kin, FACT and others, all receive funds which enable them to continue their work.
• 'The MoonWalk' is the flagship event of the charity currently held in London, Scotland and Iceland.