As a member of the Male Breast Cancer Coalition, Ken Gomez said he is driven to do his part to bring awareness of early detection and treatment of breast cancer in men.

"If I can get to one guy, I’ve done my job," Gomez said.

Gomez, a 20-year employee of the Pantex Plant, said since diagnoses of breast cancer in men is unusual, they will often wait longer to have a suspicious lump checked by a physician.

"By the time they do go, it will be in the later stages," he said.

Gomez’ journey with his own breast cancer diagnosis and treatment initially began when, after showering while on vacation in October 2015, Gomez looked in the bathroom mirror and noticed that the nipple on his right breast was inverted.

After discussing this abnormality with wife Denise Gomez, a pharmacy technician employed with Maxor National Pharmacy Services, she encouraged her husband to go to his physician right away. Gomez said that he waited until a regularly scheduled doctor appointment the following month to tell his doctor.

The doctor didn’t wait and scheduled a mammogram for the next day.

Gomez feared this meant that he must have cancer.

"I figured I already had it when my doctor told me to get a mammogram," Gomez said.

During the mammogram and subsequent sonogram, several tumors were discovered. A biopsy was scheduled for the very next day and, on Dec. 5, 2015, Gomez received the diagnosis: Stage 2B breast cancer.

Gomez’s initial response was to take action.

"Let’s get moving," he remembers thinking. "Let’s get this done."

After a little time had passed, his initial reaction gave way to one of thinking, "This wasn’t in the plan."

"It didn’t hit me for about two weeks," he said of the gravity of the diagnosis.

At that time, Denise Gomez remembers seeing her husband crying one day. Unusual behavior for him, she asked what was wrong. Gomez said he remembers he was listening to the Kris Kristofferson song "Why Me" and crying while singing along with the song. He said he was finally thinking about the cancer diagnosis and asking the same question: Why me?

After that, things started moving pretty quickly. In preparation for chemotherapy treatments, a port was surgically inserted. Gomez remembers being concerned about chemotherapy and said, in an attempt to allay his fears, he spoke with people among his social circle to try to find out more.

After that, things started moving pretty quickly. In preparation for chemotherapy treatments, a port was surgically inserted. Gomez remembers being concerned about chemotherapy and said, in an attempt to allay his fears, he spoke with people among his social circle to try to find out more.

A friend’s wife shifted Gomez’s mindset when she said, "I don’t know why you’re so worried about the chemotherapy. It’s the cancer that’s going to kill you."

Seeing the simple and straightforward wisdom in her words, Gomez said he went into his first chemotherapy treatment telling himself, "You gotta do what you gotta do."

Chemotherapy lasted from Jan. 19, 2016, through June 3 of that year. Gomez said he never felt the nausea so many chemotherapy patients suffer.

"I was really pretty blessed through the treatments," he said.

Gomez said he did lose his hair and experienced changes in his fingernails and toenails, weight gain and loss of his sense of taste.

The next course of treatment was lumpectomy surgery in July 2016. His body had responded to the chemotherapy and the tumors were smaller. In addition to the tumors, four lymph nodes were removed during this surgery; only one indicated cellular cancer. Gomez said that since tests indicated that the cancer was limited to one lymph node, he opted not have additional surgeries to remove any other lymph nodes.

Two weeks later, Gomez began the next phase of his care — the initiation of 36 rounds of radiation. He reported more physical issues with the radiation than with that of the chemotherapy, including extreme fatigue and what he said felt like second-degree burns on the skin in the area of treatment.

The next course of treatment was lumpectomy surgery in July 2016. His body had responded to the chemotherapy and the tumors were smaller. In addition to the tumors, four lymph nodes were removed during this surgery; only one indicated cellular cancer.

Two weeks later, Gomez began the next phase of his care — the initiation of 36 rounds of radiation. He reported more physical issues with the radiation than with that of the chemotherapy, including extreme fatigue and what he said felt like second-degree burns on the skin in the area of treatment.

But even with the challenging and painful physical problems, Gomez worked to maintain a positive frame of mind.

"Complaining doesn’t buy you anything," he said.

Gomez said the last radiation treatment he received was a year ago — Oct. 4, 2016.

Gomez’s current course of treatment includes receiving a Tamoxifen injection once monthly, which he expects to continue receiving for anywhere from five to 10 years. He said the Tamoxifen blocks his estrogen production and leads to side effects such as night sweats.

He said the Tamoxifen blocks his estrogen production and leads to side effects such as night sweats.

The treatment further strengthens his bond with his "sister" breast cancer survivors — a sisterhood he accepts but didn’t necessarily want to be a part of.

"I’ll take it by the horns," he said, also noting that the female survivors he counts as his contemporaries claim him as their "sister," too.

Gomez’s cancer is currently in remission but he is circumspect.

"I’ve been told I’m in remission," he said. "Still, it’s in the back of my mind. It’s still there."

"You can’t let it eat you up," Gomez said. "It changes your outlook on a lot of stuff. It makes you realize how precious life is.

"You can’t let it change you. I’m still the same person I was before. It’s just another road traveled."

"You can’t let it eat you up," Gomez said. "ou can’t let it change you. I’m still the same person I was before. It’s just another road traveled."

Gomez’ parents and wife have provided a dedicated support system throughout his diagnosis and treatment. His parents moved in for about a month after surgery, and according to his wife, "It helped him focus on other things."

Of having wife Denise by his side throughout his journey, Gomez said: "That was the best thing."

Gomez also counts the medical care he received from Texas Oncology (physicians Dr. John Gwozdz and Dr. Srini Reddy), surgeon Dr. Michael Lary, Nurse Guide Jackie Campos of Texas Breast Specialists-Amarillo and membership in the Male Breast Cancer Coalition as strong components of his support system during and after his treatment.

Gomez also counts the medical care he received from Texas Oncology (physicians Dr. John Gwozdz and Dr. Srini Reddy), surgeon Dr. Michael Lary, Nurse Guide Jackie Campos of Texas Breast Specialists-Amarillo and membership in the Male Breast Cancer Coalition as strong components of his support system during and after his treatment.

The Male Breast Cancer Coalition has given Gomez the opportunity to connect with other survivors of a disease that, while routinely affecting more women than men, does not discriminate.

He said that this ability to connect with other male breast cancer survivors has made a significant difference in his attitude and perspective. Besides supporting each other, the members of the coalition all share a common focus of building awareness through outreach.

"The majority of guys are too embarrassed to talk about it," said Gomez of the challenges that go along with bringing awareness to what is typically thought of as a women’s disease.

Gomez said the coalition stresses the importance of men learning how to do self-exams and of being proactive when they do find a lump — not waiting until the cancer is in the later stages.

"Our goal is to spread awareness to all men," he said.