SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - 7 is On Your Side with a warning for men about a disease usually associated with women: breast cancer. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, one man is speaking out about being a survivor.

From an early age, Tom Welch knew the devastating toll breast cancer can take on a family. His mother died of the disease when he was a teenager and years later, the tragedy would strike again.

"Later on when I met my wife, we moved to Minnesota. We had our son and within a year she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died when he was four," he said.

Welch moved back home to raise his young son and found love again. Together, Welch and Laurie share six children. Life was good until Welch noticed something out of the ordinary.

"It was tender in that area," he said.

A trip to the doctor confirmed what he already suspected -- he had breast cancer and would need a mastectomy. Given his history, Welch was prepared for the diagnosis but most men are not.

"Actually some men you can see it in their minds, 'Breast cancer? Did he say breast cancer? Breast cancer -- can he have breast cancer? They don't know,'" he said.

Oncologist Richard Arenas says the problem is two-fold. Many men don't know they could be at risk and don't know what to look for.

"There really is no recommendation on how to screen men for breast cancer and I think it really is based on self-exam and awareness," he said.

Arenas says men should get checked if they find a lump or mass in the breast area, pain in the breast area or nipple discharge.

"Don't worry about what people are going to think. Take care of yourself first," advised Welch.

Welch hopes his story will be a wake-up call for other men who like him, can join the ranks of breast cancer survivors.

Experts say men make up about one percent of breast cancer patients. It occurs mostly in men between 60 and 70 years old.

 Email To Friend