BRAZIL, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
A local man who survived breast cancer hopes to inspire others to never give up hope.
His name is Robert Elkins and he has quite the story to tell. He’s a veteran who served in Vietnam. He didn’t know, back then, that decades later — he’d face his own battle; a war against an enemy that doesn’t discriminate.
“It ended up I had cancer in eight or nine of the lymph nodes,” Elkins explains. “With male breast cancer, it’s treated just like women’s breast cancer, but men’s breast cancer is generally a more aggressive type cancer.”
And, Elkins says, his cancer was aggressive.
“I never wanted to take my life, but there were times I didn’t want to be alive because of what I was going through. It was just nasty.”
Doctor Ashis Chakrabarti is with the Hope Center in Terre Haute where Robert’s cancer was treated. He says, “About one percent of all breast cancers are male breast cancers, and, unfortunately, they are more aggressive than the female breast cancer. They progress very rapidly. Usually, we find them in higher stages, unfortunately.”
And, the later the cancer is detected, the more difficult it is to treat.
But Dr. Chakrabarti says, with recent medical advances, there is hope.
“Scientific studies have been done on this to stay positive, stay optimistic at the time of your diagnosis and go on with the treatment,” explains Chakrabarti. “I strongly feel that faith, and prayers and hope, they do bring you long distance. So, that’s my message.”
That was a message Robert Elkins took to heart.
“So, I kind of got out of my personal pitty party, so to speak and started fighting and taking a more positive approach and, just thanking him everyday. We have miracles everyday that we don’t see; getting out of bed, breathing, taking a step. They’re all mini, small miracles everyday, you just have to notice them.”
It was that faith that kept Robert going. Now, he’s in remission, and teaching free painting classes at his church to help others cope with their challenges. Robert says, when he was sick, “I would paint and I just know how good it made me feel; how free. I thank God everyday that I have to use what I’m going through for the positive and to help others. To believe that, in some way, I was chosen to go through this suffering so others could be helped.”
Right now, Robert’s classes are only being done once a quarter at the Family Worship Center but he hopes the classes will grow, along with his ministry.
“I believe that this ministry will help others feel free, feel creative, feel alive. I just felt like the Lord wanted me to do this and, where it goes, we have no idea.”
The message from Robert, and Chakrabarti are the same… Keep the faith.
” I truly believe that the opposite of positive and life is negative in death and, I think if one does not have faith, they don’t have a positive outlook and give up,” explains Elkins.
“People should stay optimistic, hopeful, and don’t lose the fight before the fight has started,” said Chakrabarti.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Family Worship Center. You can contact the church for more information about future classes, or to donate to help purchase supplies for the classes.
