The Men’s VMU celebrates its second birthday!

After Walk the Walk launch its Men Get Breast Cancer Too Awareness Campaign in 2017, it became apparent that men diagnosed with breast cancer needed a platform where they could regularly meet, chat and share their experiences.

As a result, Walk the Walk collaborated with an American breast cancer charity; with Dr Kerry Quincey (Senior Lecturer in Psychology at De Montfort University, Leicester) and with Doug Harper to create The Men’s VMU. Doug had been involved in research conducted by Kerry, looking at men’s experiences of breast cancer.  

The Men’s VMU launched on Thursday 22^nd October 2020 and continues to meet online on the fourth Thursday of every month at 7pm UK time.

Dr Kerry Quincey:
“My research revealed that men felt they weren’t offered the same level of support as female counterparts. Improved care and resources were needed, including better communication, especially between men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  With the lion’s share of patient resources and services being female-focused, men felt very much at the periphery when they were diagnosed, during treatment, and beyond. The Men’s VMU was born out of the desire to prevent these men from feeling alone and isolated. It’s been hugely successful and is now a dedicated, safe space where once a month men can come together (virtually) to talk, listen to, give advice and share their breast cancer stories and experiences, past and present, and regardless of disease stage”.

As well as supporting men with a history of breast cancer diagnosis, The Men’s VMU is now beginning to have real influence, in terms of raising awareness.

Doug Harper, Moderator for The Men’s VMU:-
“Before The Men’s VMU even existed, Walk the Walk took the first step by getting together the original six men as part of its Men Get Breast Cancer Too campaign. Without Walk the Walk, there wouldn’t be a Men’s VMU. The platform not only provides amazing support for men with a diagnosis of breast cancer, but as a group, people are now starting to really hear our voice. If someone had said to me two years ago that there would be a male breast cancer storyline on EastEnders, and that the Men’s VMU would be advising the soap, I wouldn’t have believed you!”

The Men’s VMU meets online on the fourth Thursday of every month, from 7pm UK time. For more information, contact [email protected] or Tweet @TheMensVMU