October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Brian Lynch of St. Thomas wonders why, in all of the promotional material, there is no mention of men.
He calls it a gut punch because he is a male breast cancer survivor.
He talked to myFM about the day he was diagnosed.
Lynch is on a mission.
He wants to put male breast cancer on the radar. The St. Thomas resident is an MBC survivor who notes 55 men across the country are predicted to die this year because of it.
Lynch established the Bottoni Project – named after his surgeon Dr. David Bottoni at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital – to educate both patients and clinicians that, yes, breast cancer in men is rare but breast cancer in men is real.
Lynch vividly remembers his first encounter with Dr. Bottoni.
He recalls the surgeon’s assuring words, I’m going to cure you, you just have to believe me.
Dr. Bottoni advises breast cancer in men is treatable but it must be recognized first.
Lynch wants to eradicate the shame, stigma and silence associated with male breast cancer.
He stresses men impacted by MBC need support through education, awareness and, perhaps most important, understanding.
Symbolized by a blue and pink ribbon.
Lynch adds the project promotes a healthy social and emotional recovery from male breast cancer.
Project Bottoni now hopes to fundraise to support an MRI for the hospital.
To find out more about Project Bottoni, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ChJdY2-KCM
Written by Ian McCallum
