‘I thought there had to be a lump’
A READING man has joined the largest campaign for male breast cancer in Britain.
Andy Manson has joined 14 men — 12 from the UK — to talk about his experience with stage four breast cancer.
The campaign, men get breast cancer too, was created byWalk the Walk — a national breast cancer charity founded by Wokingham woman, Nina Barough.
The group of men hope that by speaking with “one voice” they can make more noise and raise more awareness of the issue.
Mr Manson — who is now in remission — said: “About six months ruled it out. I thought there always had to be a lump,” he explained.
“The pain went away, but months later it came back and my wife Michelle forced me to get myself checked out. The speed with which the GP referredme to the breast clinic at the Royal Berkshire Hospital was my first inkling that something was wrong.
“I had a biopsy and a mammogram and a couple of weeks later, went back for the results. It turned out that I had a tumour, but not one which I could feel — I was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, which had spread to my lymph nodes. It’s like the cliché – you never expect it to be you.”
Six years later, Mr Manson said he is “passionate about raising awareness that men get breast cancer too”.
He said: “There are still large numbers of peoplewho don’t know— I’ll tell anyone who wants to listen and I even showthemmy scar, just to prove it.”
Hewants people to learn about the other signs of breast cancer, in the hopes of spotting it early.
“There’s a lack of information about what to check for,” he explained. “I had an inverted nipple, and pain. But other signs include discharge, and pain towards the armpit — where the lymph nodes are.
“I’m now taking Tamoxifen — a hormone suppressant. But even the pharmacist was confused as to why I was being prescribed it.
“The awareness about male breast cancer is so much smaller due to the fewer cases. There’s about 350 a year, before I was diagnosed, I started that's one every day. feeling some stabbing pain inmy left “I just felt I had to get theword out, nipple. not just to men, but for women to
“My immediate thought was that help their dads, husbands, boyfriends the pain was probably something and brothers know what to look out bad. I was aware at thefor.”timethat men could get breast cancer – I knew Mr Manson has also helped it existed, but I didn’t know what to fundraise for Breast Cancer Now by check for. abseiling from the Madejski Stadium,
“I just had pain and no lump and taking part in a charity which I could feel – so at the time, I fashion show.