How It All Began

Dear Friends:

On August 31, 2004, one of my best friends since kindergarten got a call that changed her life forever. Beth Silverman was just 26 years old when she was told that she had a very aggressive form of breast cancer. Only days earlier she had noticed a small lump while taking a shower, yet now she was facing the most difficult fight of her life.

In February of 2006, my Northwestern University classmate Courtney Relihan-Bugler received a similar call at the age of 29. She was a newlywed and had just begun her professional writing career.

I became very confused. Up until then I thought breast cancer was an older woman’s issue, so I couldn’t understand why two of my closest friends were so sick so young. Then I did some research and learned the following:

· This year alone, more than 11,100 women under the age of 40
will be diagnosed with breast cancer. More than 1,100 will die
of the disease.

· One in every 229 women between the ages of 30 and 39 will be
diagnosed with breast cancer within the 10 next years.

· Young women’s cancers are generally more aggressive and result
in lower survival rates.

· Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women 15-54.

It was clear to me that this is indeed a very real problem and that my friends were not alone. However after following them throughout their treatments, I discovered an alarming lack of knowledge and support focused on the problems and issues unique to young women with cancer. I witnessed the effects the huge financial strain treatment can have on a family. I listened to the tear filled frustration as my friends tried to cope with the social realities of losing their breasts at such a crucial stage in their young adult lives.

I felt helpless. No matter how many times I was able to cheer Beth up over the phone, I wasn’t able to make all the needles and chemo and nightmares go away. Thankfully for me, Beth is a very strong woman and her story is one of survival and regained purpose. With tremendous support from family and friends, she has been successfully treated and was fortunate to be able to afford full reconstructive surgery.

Beth’s story proves that breast cancer is treatable and beatable. Additionally, technological advances now make it possible for many of the negative side effects of treatment (loss of breast, infertility) to be avoided. However, what hasn’t changed are the two most effective tools to combat this horrible disease: Early Education and Early Detection.

It is in these two areas where I realized I could help make a difference. When I first expressed my desire to get involved in this cause, many people asked why as a man this issue was of concern to me. That bothered me. I couldn’t feel stronger that these young women should not have to go through this ordeal alone. After all, they are our girlfriends, wives, sisters, co-workers, classmates and friends. Plus, I love boobs.

So I have decided to take action. I feel it is time for men to step up to the plate so that other young women will never receive the kind of phone call my friends got. With that purpose I am founding the charity DudesForBoobs.

With the use of a blog and through live events, our purpose is to engage more young men in the fight against breast cancer. We aim to raise awareness, promote education and collect donations. Our focus will be on assisting the young adult population because that is where there is the least amount of available information and resources.

We want boyfriends to be able to help their girlfriends in checking for early signs of the disease. We want brothers to instill in their sisters the need for regular self exams. We want husbands to be able to help their wives properly manage the ordeals that will lie ahead.

Beth constantly reminds me that from the day a young woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she is considered a survivor. I urge you to join me in taking action so that all young women can survive.

Most sincerely,

Scott Sobol
dudesforboobs@yahoo.com