Breaking Taboos – Men diagnosed with breast cancer meet to share their experiences

Walk the Walk’s Nina meets the men involved in our Men Get Breast Cancer Too campaign

It’s Men’s Health Week and we’re tackling the taboo of men’s breast cancer. 

We were so excited to bring together some of the wonderful men who are part of our Men Get Breast Cancer Too campaign, which is going from strength to strength and now includes 24 men.

It’s the first time since the pandemic started that they have been able to actually meet. There was a real buzz in the air as they chatted and shared their stories.  

Mark Winter was diagnosed with breast cancer in early May 2020 and was eager to meet and share stories with other men for the first time;

“Until this Men Get Breast Cancer Too event I hadn’t met any other men with breast cancer. I found it fascinating and actually amazing to have the opportunity to share experiences and talk openly about my breast cancer diagnosis. It has made me realise that the feelings I have been experiencing are the same as other men, I am not on my own. For me it was also about seeing that men who have had breast cancer in the past and are still doing well. “

Mark Winter (centre) 

Pam Cleveland came along to the gathering with her husband Neil:

“Neil’s opening up so much to these other men, about something which they all have in common. I’ve even heard him acknowledge today how hard his diagnosis was for me as his partner and he’s never said that before. Having had breast cancer myself, I’ve experienced both sides of the story. Women do talk to each other more, but now Walk the Walk’s campaign is giving the men the platform to talk too, to share their experiences and to help each other with their unanswered questions.”

Pam and Neil Cleveland

Most men don’t check their chests and many don’t even know that men can get breast cancer, which makes checking even more important! Tips include standing in front of a mirror and checking the chest area whilst in the shower.

Here’s some advice from Mark...

“My message to men in general is to not only check “below”, but to check “above” too and don’t be frightened if you find something. Just get it checked out, especially if you’re not sure. Men have died from breast cancer, because they’ve ignored the problem and not done anything about it. Proportionally, more men die of breast cancer than women. My own diagnosis was a hell of a shock, but that phone call I made to my doctor’s was probably the best one of my life. My treatment was successful, because I did something about it.”

Spread the word – find out more about our Men Get Breast Cancer Too campaign and download our poster here.