According to the American Cancer Society, about one in 833 men will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
As a result, many males are not aware that they could be victims of this dreadful disease, and 66-year-old Woddie Miller was one of them. The Canada-based event planner and promoter, who survived cancer, is encouraging other men to take a yearly mammogram.
"A nuff man dead from breast cancer and don't know because they don't do mammograms or check for it. If my wife didn't encourage me to go to the doctor, I would be dead right now. I am encouraging every man not to be ashamed of doing a mammogram. We know that breast cancer is labelled as a woman's disease, but men are dying from it too," he said.
Breast cancer in men usually presents itself as a lump in the chest, dimpling of the skin or changes in the nipple. For Miller, except for a lingering pain in his right breast, he had no other signs. During the first three months of 2019, he was experiencing occasional chest pain but didn't make much of the issue. His wife Mellissa, however, coerced him to see a doctor after the pain became more intense. Several MRIs and ultrasounds did not detect anything of concern but Miller said the pain worsened.
"But I wasn't telling my wife because I am a man who don't like to go to the doctor. But in March 2019, I remember going to bathe and when I touch the left side of my chest, I screamed out and my wife run in and carry mi to the doctor. She is a nurse and she told the doctor that it appeared that I had an inside abscess and they should cut it," she said.
Wasn't afraid
Miller said the doctor made an appointment at Ajax Pickering Hospital in Toronto where a biopsy was done. But the senior citizen said his heart did not skip a beat and the thought of cancer never once crossed his mind. But about a week later, Miller said he received the devastating news that he had cancer.
"My wife and son were screaming and it was just bare bawling. We made an appointment to see the doctor the following day and thankfully, within a week, I was able to do the surgery. I wasn't afraid of anything. I am from the Southside area of Kingston so I know about rough life. I just prepared myself for surgery and said a prayer and do it," he said. Miller stated that throughout his ordeal, he had the full support of his family and that was what he believed kept him alive.
"When you have cancer, you need a support system. Sometimes it's not the cancer that kills you, it's the stress. I did the surgery at the right time because it was about to spread to my blood and I probably wouldn't live to see the next six months," he said. Miller said following the operation, he did 21 rounds of radiotherapy treatment. Subsequently, another set of medical test revealed that he was cancer free.
These days, Miller said that not only is he using his story to empower other cancer survivors, but he has been helping others financially.
"When you feel a pain close to you breast or even in your chest, please go and check it out. Cancer don't have any friends, so it will come anywhere on your body. You may be embarrassed, but go and get tested just like a woman and if diagnosed, just praise God and have the will power to pull through. I have done a lot of fundraising and I'm helping others to fight because the treatments are expensive and you also need moral support," he said.