VINCENNES, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Third week of October is rereferred to as Men’s Breast Cancer Awareness week and people who’s lives who have been affected by breast cancer say it’s important to know about the disease regardless of gender.
A majority of people diagnosed with Breast Cancer are women, men can also be diagnosed.
Patricia Washburn, a global ambassador for the Male Breast Cancer Coalition travels the country providing support to those who have been impacted by the disease.
She became involved with the organization after her husband, Marlyn Washburn was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in 2016. He later died in May of 2017.
“I do travel the United States with my car. I have loving dubbed it the “Marlyn-mo-bile”, Washburn. “It’s named after my husband. I made it originally a moving a moving tribute to my husband not knowing that there were a lot of other men out there because I had never heard of the Male Breast Cancer Coalition at the time that I did this.”
Patricia Buntrock’s son Matt Bowman was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer this year. He passed away in September.
“Even through the fact that I’m grieving now and it’s still very painful for me,” Buntrock said. “If I get the word out and help somebody else maybe just go to the doctor and get checked, they may get diagnosed earlier and maybe be a survivor.”
Captain Edward Yochum knew Bowman through their time spent together at the Vincennes Fire Department. Captain Yochum says he was shocked to hear of his friends diagnosis.
“It was a shock. I knew cause I worked in the hospital before I worked here and I knew of men having breast cancer,” Captain Yochum. “Such a low percentage, I didn’t think I’d ever meet anybody that would ever would have it.”
Washburn wants families who have been affected by this disease to know they are not alone.
“To the widows, it’s to let them know again, you are not alone,” Washburn said. “I understand what you’re going through. I understand the heartache you feel.”
Since her husbands passing over four years ago, Washburn says she has traveled over 75,000 miles education everyone on male breast cancer.
