MOVEMBER-GROW IT FOR MALE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

“Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there, hair, shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there, momma, everywhere, daddy, daddy...”

During November each year, “Movember“is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in the US and around the world to bring awareness and funds for men’s health issues. Most of the funding is for the promotion and awareness of Prostate and Testicular Cancers however this is another way we can help spread the awareness for Male Breast Cancer!

Since its humble beginnings in Melbourne, Australia, Movember has grown to become a truly global movement inspiring more than 1.9 Million “Mo Bros and Mo Sistas” to participate with formal campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, South Africa, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Czech Republic. No matter the country or city, Movember will continue to work to change established habits and attitudes men have about their health, to educate men about the health risks they face, and to act on that knowledge, thereby increasing the chances of early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.

Movember works to change and improve the habits and attitudes men have about their health in addition to educating them about their health risk; education like the recent findings related to the benefits of men taking a multi vitamin daily being diagnosed with 8% fewer cancers.   Without education, we cannot act on the knowledge and especially regarding Male Breast Cancer as most men are not aware they can be diagnosed with this disease, unlike Prostate and Testicular cancers.

So take that clean shaven face, or semi started facial hair and now’s your chance (excuse) to try out that mustache for a great cause!  When asked why you are “changing your look”, you can explain your cause for education, awareness and survivorship. In 2011, over 854,000 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas around the world got on board, raising $126.3 million USD.  In addition to educating others, they can also make a donation in honor of your month long growth to either Movember or directly to HIS Breast Cancer Awareness. For HIS donation information visit us on line at; http://hisbreastcancer.org/donate.html This month- show your face for the cause and all men's health issues.
“Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow, my hair”

Modah Ani- I Am Thankful
Vicki Singer Wolf, Co-Founder, Editor

Be Pro Active, Take Care of Your Body

Breast Cancer Awareness Month has officially ended- what should you do NOW? Are you the pro-active type or the wait and see if you really need type? I believe prevention is a key component in regards to cancer and overall health and wellness. Now prevention does not mean you will never have to worry about a cancer diagnosis because you're taking all precautions, however I believe it can help, or even delay a diagnosis and can especially assist our body with a stronger immune system if or when you are diagnosed.

Prevention for breast cancer may include all or some of the following. First it's a lifestyle which includes the foods you eat, the products we apply to our skin, the nutritional support of vitamins and minerals which our body is lacking, natural anti-inflammatory, exercise, relaxation techniques and hopefully laughter in your day.

Making better choices in the foods we eat is really important as it builds the base for everything else. Choosing foods lower in fat and organic when possible, less intake of sugar, higher intake of leafy green and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and kale, as well as whole grains and less or no white flour are a great start. Choosing organic products helps by eliminating the added hormones, antibiotics and pesticides animals are fed and found in the soil. Vegetables found to grow in an organic soil have also been shown to have healthier mineral/vitamin content. Even men have estrogen in their bodies and can be estrogen dominant in their breast cancer diagnosis so they also need to be concerned with added hormones especially found in meat,poultry and dairy. These are not just women's hormones! Sugar aids in feeding cancer cells so try choosing a natural sweetener like Stevia which is plant based and contains no chemicals and no calories.

Our bodies can’t possibly consume in the foods we eat all of the nutritional daily requirements which is why we recommend supplementation. Begin with a probiotic for the right environment to absorb vitamins and minerals. Taking a dry broccoli powder capsule, the spice Turmeric (works as an anti inflammatory), and medicinal mushrooms such as Maitake are just a few that may aid in prevention. See our Prevention tab on the HIS Breast Cancer Awareness web site for more nutritional suggestions. A book I also recommend for additional suggestions is called Anti-Cancer, A New Way of Life.

There are many skin care products available now that do not include parabens (Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancers) and other artificial ingredients. Look for items such as deodorant without aluminum, moisturizers, shampoos, sun tan lotions, oral care and more without parabens, dyes and other preservatives. What we put on our body is absorbed into our body, so choose "clean" products.

Of course we all know how important exercise is! So no matter how little time you have, try to fit some in, even if it means taking the steps instead of the elevator during your work day. Every little bit helps.

And above all, make time for some relaxation (read a book, sit on a bench, meditate, spend time with friends, etc) and most importantly be sure to include laughter in your day. Laughter is the best prevention, a great medicine and it feels good too! 

October may have made you more aware of Breast Cancer, and hopefully you’re doing your own self examinations but don’t wait for a diagnosis. Maybe you have already started, or you have just learned about a few more ways, take the preventive steps to assist your body to stay healthy. Be Pro-active.

Modah Ani- I Am Thankful

Vicki Singer Wolf; Co-Founder, Editor

Gene's Cancer Journey Inspired by His Daughter...

We want you to never feel alone or ashamed with a diagnosis of Male Breast Cancer. HIS Breast Cancer Awareness is here to help and hopefully make changes. Read Gene's story as our 'Guest Writer'.  

We welcome others to share their story regarding Breast Cancer in Men as well. 

Modah Ani-I Am Thankful

Editor; Vicki Singer Wolf Co-Founder

It was sometime in August, 2011 just before our trip to Italy with close friends when I felt the lump in my right breast. Since our trip was so close, I made a mental note to check myself again when we returned. I forgot about the lump and we started on our bathroom remodeling. When I finally remembered about the lump, it was already early November. I felt again and it was larger than before.

 

I told my wife of 45 years that I felt a lump and that I needed to find a doctor familiar with Breast Cancer in men to examine me and determine if what I suspected was true. I did some research, found my Doctor and called his office to make an appointment. I was scheduled for a Mammogram and/or a Sonogram at St. Joseph’s Hospital Cancer Center on Monday, November 14. 

How did I know to examine my breasts? Most men, if they notice something at all would mostly ignore the lump assuming it was a cyst or something very benign. Fortunately for me, my daughter had found a lump three years earlier and as part of her journey she did a Genetic Test to see if she was a carrier of one of the Cancer Genes. As it turned out, she had the BRCA2 genetic marker. My wife had the same test done and she found out she was negative for the marker which left me as the original carrier. Once I knew, I read everything I could and while taking my daughter’s journey with her realized that I needed to continually examine myself for breast lumps.

On November 14, I had my Mammogram. The nurse came back in to take more images. Then I was sent to have a Sonogram also. I then saw the Doctor who immediately did a Biopsy of the lump. He told me that he was pretty sure that I had breast cancer but he would call to confirm by the end of the next day, Tuesday. He called around 6 pm and asked if I could come in with my wife the next day to meet with him? I said yes and the next day, we saw my Doctor and received the news about my Cancer.

I had Breast Cancer: Ductal Carcinoma – Invasive and Infiltrating; 0.9 cm, T1, 

Stage 1, Grade II Biology was Estrogen Receptor Positive (ER +) > 90% and Progesterone Receptor Positive (PR +) > 50%. My Ki67 Proliferation Index was 25 – 35% and the tumor had a doubling rate of 90 days (which meant that the first cell mutated about 7.5 years before I discovered it). For men with BRCA2, having Breast Cancer means a Mastectomy.

So, fortunately, my Doctor had an opening the day before Thanksgiving, November 23rd and I said do it! I was in and out on Thanksgiving Day and able to join my family at my son’s home for Thanksgiving Dinner and my youngest granddaughter’s Birthday. Chemo followed after some discussion and many second/third Oncologist opinions and now I am on a 20 mg Tamoxifen regimen for the next five years.

Thanks to my daughter, I did not ignore my symptom and am doing well today. Her taking her journey saved my life. She is MY HERO!

"My daughter just told me about your web site and after browsing it, I wanted to tell you that I think it is great that 'HIS' created this site for men to educate them about male breast cancer. The above is my brief story and I am willing to share my Cancer Journey so that others may know what they will go through. In my case, education eliminated any fear because I was already so well read on the subject. I am currently 67 and am back to living my life normally. This is my \"brief version\" of my journey."

Gene Taylor -Guest Writer

The Power of We!

"WE” are both Breast Cancer survivors! “WE” are a brother and sister and

YES, Men can get breast cancer and the Power of WE will help spread awareness and education…

October 15^th is Blog Action Day, and HIS Breast Cancer Awareness blog is proud to participate in an event to unify one important global topic on the same day; The Power of We!

My first Breast Cancer diagnosis came when I was 37 years old, just one month after our mother had received a breast cancer diagnosis. She was in her 70’s as was our aunt when she had a mastectomy so I thought I had lots of time to concern myself with breast cancer but I was wrong.

Between the ages of 37-47 I had received four diagnoses and had seven surgeries along with the treatment of Radiation and Tamoxifen. After my fourth diagnosis I decided with our family history, I needed to do some genetic testing to gain more information. I tested positive for the BRCA genetic mutation, which stems from the European Jewish decent.

Once diagnosed, I informed my sons (I have 3) along with my brothers of their risk for developing Breast and Prostate cancers. My brother Harvey pretty much “pooh-poohed” it thinking, he’s a guy, this doesn’t really concern him (or his sons), he was wrong!

In 2008 my brother Harvey called me on his way to his doctor. He had discovered a lump along with pain in the nipple area of his left breast. His doctor then sent him on for a mammogram as he tried to comprehend how he (a man) could get a mammogram. From there, he received his diagnosis of male breast cancer and his life was no longer as he knew it.

I could offer my brother a great deal of knowledge and support however what I could not assist him with was a man with a “woman’s” disease. The humiliation he experienced, the stigmatism that goes along with a male being treated for breast cancer was far more than I could begin to understand. If it wasn’t difficult enough to deal with a cancer diagnosis and all the emotional and physical challenges that it presents, being a male with breast cancer was the biggest challenge.

“WE” decided to help make a change in the world of Breast Cancer. “WE” developed a non-profit organization called HIS (my brother’s initials) Breast Cancer Awareness to provide Education and Awareness for Male Breast Cancer. Between the two of us we have 5 sons, so it was also important to us to pave the way for them as they have a 50/50% chance of developing Breast Cancer too.

Our organization has grown quickly in just a few years and “WE” have been able to provide many men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer an outlet to speak about their diagnosis and a place to discover they are not alone with this disease. In addition, “WE’ know that bringing awareness and educating others “WE” have and will continue to save lives. Often for men, because no one is checking, they receive a diagnosis far too late and so it is fatal. Whether it’s a son, a boyfriend, a father, a relative or friend, women can help men learn about breast cancer for themselves, in addition to their female counterpart. On our web site “WE” offer a How to do a self-breast exam for men. “WE” offer information for healthy lifestyles and prevention along with links for more detailed information but most of importantly, “WE” offer awareness!

Of course, it would be great if we could eradicate all cancers, but in the meantime, “WE” need to help educate. Yes, pink is all around us, but it’s time “WE” add a little blue! For more information, visit HIS Breast Cancer Awareness at www.hisbreastcancer.org.

 “WE” can work together for Male and Female Breast Cancer because the Power of We is much stronger combined.

Modah Ani – I/We are thankful

Editor; Vicki Singer Wolf, Co-founder

CELEBRITY? WE'RE CALLING FOR YOU

Are you a professional athlete, celebrity, or anyone with a large reach of an audience? Do you or someone in your family have a history of Breast Cancer? Then we’re calling on you for some help!

Maybe you don’t know a man directly who has been diagnosed with Breast Cancer, however if you have a family history of this disease, then you may be the next one to be on the receiving end. Don’t think you only have to concern yourself for your mother, sister, cousin, girlfriend, wife or daughter. Male Breast Cancer does exist and is often fatal because no one is looking.

HIS Breast Cancer Awareness, a non-profit organization co-founded by Harvey I Singer and Vicki Singer Wolf, a brother and sister who are both Breast Cancer Survivors was formed to help educate and bring awareness of Male Breast Cancer. Male Breast Cancer is 1% of all breast cancer diagnosis but is often fatal. Over 2200 cases were diagnosed in 2012 with over 400 deaths. Isn’t one too many?

We need you, your voice, your face to help speak out and educate others about Male Breast Cancer. You need to know if you’re a guy, you too can receive this diagnosis or your brother or father! During the month of October, the NFL has done a great job bringing awareness of breast cancer with all “the pink”, however we want to see some blue added. We need to help any man diagnosed with breastcancer to know they are not alone and should not be embarrassed by this disease and we need to help men be aware; this is not just a woman’s disease! Mammograms and mastectomy become part of their vocabulary just like it does for a woman.

So if you’re someone who wants to help men…and you know you can make a difference, then PLEASE, contact us. Together we can make a difference and save lives, just by being that “popular” person that you are.

We’re waiting to hear from you…

HIS Breast Cancer Awareness

Modah Ani- I am Thankful

Editor; Vicki Singer Wolf, Co-founder

MALE BREAST CANCER-ARE YOU AWARE?

“Sir- You have BreastCancer”! You don’t hear these words very often and most people don’t even know that men can be diagnosed with breast cancer. Most men don’t even think they have breast- they’re pecks aren’t they!?

Breast tissue and ducts in a male begins to form during puberty with the on set of hormones including estrogen important for bones; another surprise to men, yes, they do have estrogen. It’s not just women who have to deal with this hormone and hot flashes! The growth of breast tissue shortly subsides as testosterone suppresses the tissue growth leaving predominantly small, undeveloped ducts and a small amount of fat and tissue. However if breast tissue continues to develop medical attention may be needed for a diagnosis of Gynecomastia.

So why doesn’t a man at his yearly check up (hopefully you are having one!) while being checked for prostate cancer, or recommended for a colonoscopy, receive a breast exam? Or be taught how to perform a male self-breast examination? The same reason I suppose that many people in the health fields don’t even know that men can be diagnosed with this “woman’s” disease. The sad part is that because no one is looking, often men receive a diagnosis that is too far progressed and is often fatal. Most doctors’ offices take a medical history, so they know if there is a family history of breast cancer. Men need to be informed of their risk factors just like a sister or daughter would be. In 2012 there were over 2200 cases of male breast cancer and over 400 deaths. Most cases of male breast cancer are detected between the ages of 60-70 although the condition can develop in men of any age. The risk of a man developing breast cancer is approximately 1/10 of 1%, or one in 1,000.  The numbers may be small in comparison to women, but this should not make them any less important!  The statistics may actually be skewed as it is likely cancer found elsewhere in men may have begun in the breast however it had already spread to another area before being diagnosed.

Symptoms in men can include an onset of a mass; Skin dimpling or puckering, Nipple retraction, Redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin or Nipple discharge. Most men might ignore some of these symptoms not even thinking they could have breast cancer. It’s important to be aware of any changes in your body and consult your physician should you have any concerns. A Mammogram, Breast MRI, Ultrasound or Biopsy would be the next steps to determine if you have Male breast cancer.

My brother, a Male BreastCancer Survivor, received this diagnosis and could not believe how little information there was available for him. Even his oncologist and the medical staff he came in contact with were not sure of the best ways to treat him, so they treated him like a woman. The technologist was shocked when he arrived for his mammogram, a man? !! And most people in the doctor’s offices thought he was there for his wife, instead of his wife being there to support him! Between us we have 5 sons and knew we had to do something to make a change.

HIS Breast Cancer Awareness was founded to help bring education and awareness of Male Breast Cancer. HIS has been an outlet for men to discuss their diagnosis, share their journey and to learn they are not alone with this disease.  Most importantly, we have brought awareness to men, wives, sisters, girlfriends and some of the medical world to watch, perform breast examinations, make choices in their lifestyle knowing their risk, and hopefully save some lives.

Modah Ani- I am Thankful

Editor; Vicki Singer Wolf, Co-founder

DO YOU OWN YOUR ILLNESS?

Do you own your illness? Does it define who you are or what you are about? Do you think about the diagnosis you received, battle and hopefully have won as part of your daily life?
I hope there is more to a person than a diagnosis received.  Yes, it is a part of our life, but it is not who or what we are.  Speaking (writing) as a person who received a diagnosis of breast cancer 4 times, I know this is not ‘who’ I am or ‘what’ I am! It was a diagnosis! It was something in my body that I have removed, destroyed and will live my life everyday to the best of my ability to make sure it does not return. Do I think about it? Of course, often! Do I worry about it? I choose not to, what good will it do anyway? Thinking and worrying are two very different things.

We can put much of our energy into worrying but this is only negative energy and is not healthy, and will not change anything for the better. It has been proven that negative energy can have a negative effect on your health by lowering the immune system.  If we look into the future with positive thoughts, live for today and make plans for the future, then we are telling our bodies we will not accept disease- go find somewhere else to live! You are not welcome here!

This is how I choose to live my life. I take my health seriously. I do what is needed to be pro-active by getting checked twice a year (with Mammogram and MRI) along with self checks. I do my best to make healthy choices in the foods that I eat (organic when possible), the supplements  I take (many) to support a healthy environment and healthy cells. I exercise, I meditate as needed, surround myself with like minded-positive thinking people, take time for myself and I plan. I plan for the future because I ‘expect’ to be here, to do things and live my life the best that I can with my friends and of course, my wonderful family.  I find it difficult to be around people who focus on the negative, the “woe is me” person.  We all at some point in our life have or will experience difficult times. No one goes through life unscathed. Some maybe more than others  feel like they have more crap, but maybe that is just what is needed to appreciate the high times in life.  Whatever the reason is, we cannot question.  I believe no matter how much we may not understand when it happens, things do happen for a reason and something good will come from something bad. This is just how life works. One of my favorite books is When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Rabbi Harold S. Kushner.

The past couple of weeks I was surrounded by a great deal of illness of people who I care about. A girlfriend diagnosed with Stage 2-3 Breast Cancer, my brother hospitalized for a week, and a high school girlfriend who passed away. My girlfriend with breast cancer, 37 years ago I watched her battle Ovarian Cancer and today has a beautiful husband and adopted son who will be there along with her friends to support her through this and she has remained strong and steadfast.I am very proud of her!  Our high school girlfriend who has dealt with illness for many years, spent her days, enjoying life with her family, and hopefully it will be those wonderful memories that her daughter will hold on to now.   And my brother, who will rise again and find his strength, because that is what we do. Illness is all around us, there is no escape from it and there is way too much of it. It is a part of our life, but it does not have to define our life.

I believe it is ‘a choice’ one makes to live this way. Others who worry, will my disease return or what will be the next illness, they are not living life. They are living death; waiting for the next bad thing to happen.  I knew people who lived like this, and in the end, what they thought would be their demise, ended up to be something completely different, sometimes not even illness related but an accident.  The hours, days and energy spent worrying, is wasted, useless time and would be better off spent being put to positive use such as planning your next day off or vacation, or out for a fine dinner or shopping day, or spending time with someone you care about, anything that brings pleasure.

So how does one bring them-self to take away those negative thoughts and not become or own their disease, to take charge of their body and mind? There are so many options to list; Support Groups, Personal Therapist, Inspirational Reading or Audio Books, Humor Books, Friends, Family, a Pet, a Hobby, Exercise, Meditation, Travel, etc. Each person must find what works for them, sometimes a combination of the above, with trial and error and keep on trying. It takes great strength to control our minds, but you are strong, you have fought your disease, now you can fight for your life and your happiness.
You choose-your choice! I am not my disease. I am me, a positive, fun loving person with much more to offer to myself, my family, this world.  I am alive and so I am going to live. I invite you to join me.

Modah Ani-I Am Thankful
Editor; Vicki Singer Wolf, Co-Founder
In memory of Michelle (Shelli)