Mens Breast Cancer

PeterB
PeterB Member Posts: 65 ✭
in General discussion
Trying to make contact with men going thru or have been thru breast cancer.
Please check out Facebook page The Mens Breast Cancer Forum.
would love to make contact.
Regards
PeterB

Comments

  • Zoffiel
    Zoffiel Member Posts: 3,374 ✭

    Hi @PeterB I personally don't know any men with breast cancer and it is a shame we don't see more men getting involved with this forum. The stress of diagnosis and the problems associated with treatment and side effects are the same for all of us even if the support and general awareness is lacking for men. Marg


  • Pauline_BCNA
    Pauline_BCNA Member Posts: 14 ✭
    edited October 2017
    Hi @PeterB
    I'm on the policy team here at BCNA. We have a number of men diagnosed with breast cancer who are active in our membership and I have reached out to see if they are interested in making contact. Two of our men are active on the online network from time to time - @Chester80$$ and @traveltext
    In 2016, we carried out a consultation with a group of men diagnosed with breast cancer. The aim was to better understand what BCNA and other can do to better meet the needs of men facing a breast cancer diagnosis. A copy of the full report and executive summary of this project can be found here. 
    This year, on October 20th, we are launching Australia's first male breast cancer awareness day, with stories from men on our social media and local news. If you are interested in sharing your story with local media, we are looking for men currently in QLD, WA and Tasmania. Opportunities for a media spot will depend on the level of interest and availability of local media (radio, television).
    Be sure to visit our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed on October 20th for the awareness day!
    If you have any questions or queries please also feel free to private message me here. I am providing ongoing outreach and support for male breast cancer projects and member enquiries.

    Warm regards
    Pauline McLoughlin
    Senior Policy Officer
    BCNA

  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 253 ✭
    Hi Peter, Welcome to the forum. 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 ✭
    edited October 2017
    Hi @PeterB and @traveltext, I was just wondering if you use this forum much. I’m interested in the male perspective on the very pink world this forum can be. Would love to see a blue page, blokes shed style. I know this is a gender stereotype, but you should set up your own group on here, as well as part of the more general community. Sorry, just noticed that you have your Facebook one set up. 

    I’m at the stage where i’m not sure I have much to offer in this space and I need to return to the big wide world to seek the normality I strive for. This forum is a bit of pontoon on the journey of cancer. It’s ok to rest for a while, but you have to keep on your journey. All the best with everything. I look forward to a more inclusive forum. The people on here are wonderful and have supported me through some tough times. x 
  • PeterB
    PeterB Member Posts: 65 ✭
    Pauline,
    We have just started with a Facebook page.
    The Mens Breast Cancer Forum.
    Just completed an interview with Quest Newspapers. Can find interview on our FB page. 
    Been on FB for around three weeks and have had likes in every state and also NZ and Tonga so far.
  • PeterB
    PeterB Member Posts: 65 ✭
    Pauline,
    also talking to Rose Augustin from SBS INSIGHT, about getting men’s breast cancer as a subject for their programme.
    PeterB
  • PeterB
    PeterB Member Posts: 65 ✭
    Pauline
    Sorry, her name is Roje Augustin.
  • MKitty68
    MKitty68 Member Posts: 261 ✭
    I have a friend who had a bc scare about 2 years ago & he promotes men checking themselves as well - being a well known identity in the LGBTIQ community he has a lot of scope to reach a lot of men. 
    I was just mentioning the Oct 20th Men's BC awareness Day - he would like to help promote this & has asked me to get a link please. 
  • Pauline_BCNA
    Pauline_BCNA Member Posts: 14 ✭
    Hi @MKitty68, thanks for letting us know about your friend. For the awareness day we'll be posting on our social media and website on the 20th October and it'd be wonderful for your friend to share our posts. If he's interested in getting in touch, I'd be happy for you to pass on my email to him: pmcloughlin@bcna.org.au and we can have a chat. 

  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 253 ✭
    LucyE, I'm not here much because there aren't many men posting. There's more activity at breastcancer.org but over the past few years I'm the only guy posting regularly on this large US site with a membership of 132,000. IMO men don't talk publicly about bc because they are emdarrassed to be diagnosed what the pink charities have led us to believe is exclusively a woman's disease.

    BCNA is this year promoting a special awareness day for male bc on 20 October. I hope the message gets out there since while awareness levels that women get bc is running at 100%, awareness levels that guys get it is closer to 30% that's a long way behind and it means we're getting diagnosed later. This is too bad and really quite discriminatory. 

    Good luck attaining the normalcy you desire. 

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 ✭
    edited October 2017
    @traveltext, it sounds like you’re doing a lot to challenge those stereotypes and encourage men to check for breast cancer. It could literally save lives. I will look out for the awareness day for male bc which is a great step forward.

    I’m still on here so i’m still working at getting back to normal. :) I have  been house hunting this past weekend so things are slowly returning to being almost routine, which is perfect. Sorry about the rant in my last post. 

    I’d love BCNA to release some diaries which are fairly neutral on the outside so that they could be used by men or women and also make them smaller so that they can fit in bags easily. There are more ways to be inclusive. You only need a few people to make a men’s group on here. It might attract more men to it. All the best. Keep up the good work. I used to hate the term survivor, but I think that’s what unites us on this forum and ultimately what draws me back. 
  • iserbrown
    iserbrown Member Posts: 5,734 ✭
    Survivor oh that reminds me of the TV show!!
  • melclarity
    melclarity Member Posts: 3,528 ✭
    edited October 2017
    @PeterB @traveltext So great to have you hear! I totally agree there needs to be a MUCH BIGGER Campaign done for Male Breast Cancer and not so geared around Womens Breast Cancer all the time. It doesnt discriminate and it needs to be inclusive. I hope you can talk here, if anything we all go through the same treatments and absolutely support each other. Hugs Melinda xo
  • Zoffiel
    Zoffiel Member Posts: 3,374 ✭

    Got to agree @LucyE I know that the 'pinkness' of BCNA products is branding and marketing (and it's working brilliantly for them) but toning it down a bit for some items to make them a little less feminine wouldn't hurt.

    That said, if you want to see men in pink, just go to any regional sale yards on sale day and have a look. Dozens of men of all ages running around in pink shirts. They will tell you--with horror in their eyes-- that those shirts are red and white stripes, but after the first wash? Pink :) Marg

  • PeterB
    PeterB Member Posts: 65 ✭
    Thank you ladies for your suport. Currently working with SBS INSIGHT to get this as a subject on their programme. Hopefully will get a run. 
    Next idea is to talk to the breast care clinic nurses and just leave a flyer for men. They were my first contact after being diagnosed. (within hours)
    PeterB

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