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For Men Only

© Mary M. Alward

This morning, June 11, 2003, I was watching CNN and happened to hear Senator Edward Brooks, of Massachusetts, speaking of his experience with breast cancer. The Senator explained that he and his wife had kept his condition a secret from everyone, including their grown son. Recently, Senator Brooks decided to go public with his story. He told his son and wrote letters to family and friends. He explained to them that he is now cancer-free. He decided to make his condition known in hopes of helping other men become aware that they too can get breast cancer.

Society typically believes that breast cancer is only suffered by women. This fact is far from the truth. Though the incident of breast cancer is far less in males, they can, and do, suffer from the disease.

Senator Brooks explained that he began to experience pain in the right side of his chest. He assumed it wasn't his heart, believing that heart pain would be felt on the left side. (This is also a myth, but that is another story.) He took for granted that he had pulled a muscle. When the pain didn't subside, his wife urged him to see their doctor. She probably saved his life.

Senator Brooks' breast cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes by the time his test results were revealed. Surgery and treatment has left him cancer-free. He urged men to see their doctor if they had any of the symptoms he described in his interview. He told them to forget their egos and trying to be macho. Men, as well as women, need to take care of themselves. Senator Brooks hopes that through his experience, he can get insurance companies to pay for mammogram x-rays for men. Presently, only women are covered for this procedure.

You may wonder why I'm writing about Senator Brooks on a Canadian Health topic. There are several reasons. First, I admire the Senator for coming forward with his story. If he saves just one life by doing so, it will be well worth his time and effort. Secondly, men in Canada, the United States and every other country in the world can be the victim of this disease, that at one time, was only known to strike women. Third, what better place than on the Internet to make men aware that they too, can be the victims of breast cancer.

In the winter and spring of 1992/93, Dr. Sandra M. Swain started the Men's Crusade Against Breast Cancer (MCABC). The organization focuses on breast cancer as a "family issue." Their goals are "the increased education" "the increased and more focused research" and "grass-roots support action of men, women and families." This is a non-profit organization that is affiliated with Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. You may join the Nevada Chapter of MCABC by visiting their website. http://www.communitylink.koz.com/servlet...

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