NYS proclamation promotes male breast cancer awareness
Bronxite Michael Singer’s journey
began back in December
2010 when he was diagnosed
with male breast cancer at age
50.
I will be a sevenyear- survivor of
breast cancer,” Singer told the Bronx
Times Reporter.
“I was diagnosed at age 50 with ductal
carcinoma in situ,” he said. “As a
male, I never checked myself and ignored
the issues I was having for several
months until I went for a routine
exam and mentioned this issue to my
doctor.”
Singer’s full story is told on the
Male Breast Cancer Coalition website:
http://malebreastcancercoalition.org.
I worked with my local assemblyman,
Michael Benedetto, and with
guidance from Cheri Ambrose of the
MBCC, I was able to get a proclamation
signed by NY Governor Andrew
Cuomo recognizing the third week of
October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness
Week in New York State,” Singer
said.
Singer is now a patient advocate
and attends many cancer conferences,
such as San Antonio Breast Cancer
Symposium, the American Society of
clinical Oncology, and several events
sponsored by the American Cancer
Society in the Bronx, where he gets to
meet scientists working at Montefi ore
Hospital.
I was asked to be an Am- bassador
for the Real Men Wear Pink of
the Bronx, sponsored by the American
Cancer Society making Strides
against Breast Cancer,” Singer said.
“This is important to me because I
lost my sister to metastatic breast cancer
two years before I was diagnosed,
and the ACS is doing so much for the
breast cancer community through its
research programs and community
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O 36 CT. 15-21, 2021 BTR
outreach programs. So this is an opportunity
to give back and help raise
awareness to breast cancer.”
In December 2010, upon seeing
Dr. Joseph Bonanno for an annual fi
tness evaluation for his job as a facility
maintenance manager for the federal
government, Singer mentioned that he
felt a cyst under his left nipple.
Bonanno, a Bronx doctor, referred
Singer to a local surgeon, Dr. Anibal
Puente, for a needle biopsy.
When Puente could not draw
enough fl uid, Puente scheduled Singer
for a surgical biopsy the following day
at Westchester Square Hospital.
When Singer got his biopsy results,
he learned that a 2.2 cm tumor had
been removed and tested positive for
cancer.
The diagnosis was Invasive Ductal
Carcinoma and Ductal Carcinoma in
Situ.
Singer was scheduled for surgery fi
ve days later, to have a mastectomy of
his left breast.
“My wife provided me with as much
love and support as humanly possible
and if it wasn’t for her this whole journey
would have been unbearable,”
Singer recalled. Singer woke up
in recovery bandaged like a mummy
and in so much pain.
The surgeon came in and told him
everything went well.
The next day he went home with
23 staples, two drainage bottles
hanging from his chest and his left
breast removed.
“My ultimate goal is to spread the
word that men can get breast cancer
too,” Singer said. “Men must check
their breasts routinely, as early detection
can be a key to surviving this
horrible disease.”
Brett Miller, a survivor of male breast cancer,
lost his right breast to the disease Afterward,
he founded the international organization
of survivors, Male Breast Cancer
Coalition, website: http://malebreastcance
coalition.org. Courtesy photo
Michael Singer, a male breast cancer survivor,
travels to give motivational speeches
on the topic, advising men to get their annual
physicals and be aware of any lumps in
the breast area. The third week in October
each year has been proclamed Male Breast
Cancer Awareness Week in New York State.
Courtesy photo
Friday, October 22nd starting at 5pm or
Tuesday, October 26th, starting at 3pm
Register at www.straymondacademy.org
Virtual Tours available on our website
/malebreastcancercoalition.org
/malebreastcance
/www.straymondacademy.org
/malebreastcancercoalition.org
/malebreastcance
/coalition.org
/www.straymondacademy.org