A male breast cancer survivor examines the invisibility factor in this disease.
PUBLISHED December 21, 2019
Khevin Barnes is a Male Breast Cancer survivor, magician and speaker. He is currently writing, composing and producing a comedy stage musical about Male Breast Cancer Awareness. He travels wherever he is invited to speak to (and do a little magic for) men and women about breast cancer. www.BreastCancerSpeaker.com www.MaleBreastCancerSurvivor.com
I wonder sometimes how the people we know look at us, both men and women, now that we're cancer survivors. I don't mean physically of course, because nobody would suspect that I had my left breast removed, based on the very slight indentation in my tee shirts. And while many women (and guys too, of course) pass on the option to have breast reconstruction, I think that the average person we meet doesn't suspect our connection to cancer based on our appearance. But what about those friends and family members who really know us and see what's going on in our cancer experience?
Do they see us as tragic figures; heroic warriors; unlucky victims or perhaps valiant survivors?
I suspect that the answer to that question rests in our own display of emotion, determination and attitude about our personal cancer encounter. My many friends with cancer share a common language with me. We can speak about HER2 and aromatase therapy and liquid biopsies with the same understanding and sense of composure that our non-cancer colleagues might use to chat about the daily news or supermarket sales or the academic accomplishments of their grandchildren.
No comments:
Post a Comment