Men diagnosed with breast cancer

Thanks for all the amazing work you all do,

We had breast cancer impact our family and have only just come through a second round, where it returned 18 months after a double mastectomy for our daughter. She was told she’d be safe after removal of all her breast tissue but unfortunately the margin around the cancer cells wasn’t large enough and it spread by surgery. 
This second time it had to be chemotherapy combined with radiation at the very same time, followed by timely surgery before the radiated skin lost its ability to heal. 
She just scraped through there, as an ulcer formed which oozed for months and looked like never healing. Infection was the risk and her husband dressed the wound with great loving care. 

With such a great team on the Sunshine Coast Qld. we have all arrived to what appears to be an all clear. 

Throughout this journey the most helpful person to me (as a major support) in this unknown landscape, seeing that first surgery was performed in Melbourne, was a man, who also went through the same treatments by virtually this same medical team. 

I’m writing now to request a very simple way of promoting this gender cross over of breast cancer, so that awareness amongst GPs is increased and the public can be informed that male breast tissue, especially given a family history, can also be cancerous and show early deadly symptoms. 
Men will then know not just to check their testicles for lumps but to also suspect lumps on their breasts as a risk. 

The GP involved with this male survivor dismissed his lump for months and only on his insistence, was a referral given for an ultrasound. 
If he was female, it would have been caught months earlier and maybe the spread to lymph nodes, in this male’s case, could have been prevented. 

Could you please let me know what you could do to encompass in your messaging the fact that males are also impacted? 
I would like to thank this male supporter who gave us the confidence to handle these necessary gruelling treatments on the Sunshine Coast. I’m hoping for a small change, to acknowledge males also suffer this terrible disease. 

What visible change to the messaging promoted by yourselves could you make?
I believe the idea of a blue dot on your pink ribbon, suggested a few years ago, would create a much needed conversation and acknowledge this gender cross over. 

In today’s world where gender is fluid and titles defining gender are being questioned, it would be sensible and seen as a step forward, if your body incorporated males in this visible way. 

The pink lady is your symbol and that’s fair enough but the blue dot on a pink ribbon would be a great way to educate both medical professionals on the front line and the public, as well as the important men in our lives. 

Please advise what steps can be taken to see this small but important step forward. 

With great appreciation,
Barbara