A Man’s Acceptance into the Breast Cancer Sisterhood

By Herbert P. Wagner

This is the story about how being uninformed of the facts and how having received a male breast cancer diagnosis at the age of sixty-one totally changed my life. This book explains how I was able to survive this diagnosis and became a motivated and dedicated male breast cancer advocate after the original shock wore off with time and with the support of my medical team, my daughters, and my many friends. It details my journey and the knowledge that I have gained during my fourteen-year journey as a male breast cancer survivor. My hope is that the information contained herein will benefit men diagnosed with breast cancer and their loved ones and help make their journey and destiny as successful and as smooth as possible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728315652

Herbert P. Wagner

My name is Herb Wagner and at the age of 75, I am a 14-year breast cancer survivor. I am also the founder and CEO of “A Man's Pink”, the first survivor supported male breast cancer advocacy organization in Canada and the United States. Our mission is to provide education and support to other male breast cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones. Our mission is also to increase awareness, thereby helping both to increase the survival rates and to improve the journey for men diagnosed with this disease. Our goal is to establish an “International Day for Male Breast Cancer Awareness". The myths and stigma associated with male breast cancer have improved only marginally in the last 15 years. Today, many men diagnosed with breast cancer are still very much concerned that they are abnormal, have done something wrong and that they will die from what they believe, as I did, to be a woman's only disease. More often than not, male breast cancer patients are treated with female breast cancer protocols in female environments; this may be difficult for a male breast cancer patient’s well being. By writing this book I hope to help bring male breast cancer awareness into the 21st century, improve the journey and the survival rates for men diagnosed with this disease, extricate male breast cancer from the depths of the sea of pink, and eliminate any inequality experienced by men diagnosed with breast cancer.

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2019 Herbert P. Wagner. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/19/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1564-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1565-2 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Contents

About the Author

Foreword

Take Home Message

Dedication

Acknowledgements

The Beginning – My Story

Education

Employment History

Medical History

Routine

Male Breast Cancer Information

Occurrence

Prognosis

My Breast Cancer

Diagnosis

On the Lighter Side -1

My Surgical Treatment

My Oncology Treatment

Expanded Oncology Treatments

On the Lighter Side -2

Questions and Fears

Testimonials

My Most Important Mistake

Efforts to Increase MBC Awareness

Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Paddling

On the Lighter Side -3

Body Painting to Increase Awareness

Karla

Herb

Website Development

Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week

Initial Resolutions

MBC Poem and Songs

That’s Why We’ve Added the Blue

Changing Strategies

On the Lighter Side -4

Progression Since 2005

Lack of Support

Australia Leads the Way

Expanding MBC Information

Aromatase Inhibitors in Men and Women

A Survivor’s Perspective

What My Journey Taught Me

Looking Back

My purposes for writing this book include:

FUTURE STRATEGIES

Breast cancer changed my life in 1999

MBC Information Summary

References

Appendix

About the Author

2AUTHORPHOTO.jpg

My name is Herb Wagner and at the age of 75, I am a 14-year breast cancer survivor. I am also the founder and CEO of A Man’s Pink, the first survivor supported male breast cancer advocacy organization in Canada and the United States. Our mission is to provide education and support to other male breast cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and their loved ones. Our mission is also to increase awareness, thereby helping both to increase the survival rates and to improve the journey for men diagnosed with this disease. Our goal is to establish an International Day for Male Breast Cancer Awareness.

The myths and stigma associated with male breast cancer have improved only marginally in the last 15 years. Today, many men diagnosed with breast cancer are still very much concerned that they are abnormal, have done something wrong and that they will die from what they believe, as I did, to be a woman’s only disease. More often than not, male breast cancer patients are treated with female breast cancer protocols in female environments; this may be difficult for a male breast cancer patient’s well being.

By writing this book I hope to help bring male breast cancer awareness into the 21st century, improve the journey and the survival rates for men diagnosed with this disease, extricate male breast cancer from the depths of the sea of pink, and eliminate any inequality experienced by men diagnosed with breast cancer.

Foreword

We all realize that cancer is a horrific disease that does not discriminate. It has devastating effects on all members of society and can dramatically affect one physically, financially, emotionally as well as spiritually.

Although some of the scientific breast cancer information presented may be difficult to comprehend, I have strived to put that information and my personal experiences in lay terms in order to provide information that can be understood by everyone.

Breast cancer does not discriminate by gender. Globally, approximately 1% of all breast cancer is diagnosed in men.

My fourteen years as a male breast cancer survivor has taught me that dealing with cancer has both very traumatic side effects as well as empowering benefits. Although you may be taken to death’s door, you may also learn the many positives of taking control of your cancer. Taking control empowers you to overcome fear, relearn who you are, to live each day to the fullest and to take ownership of