Local Focus: Breast cancer also hits men and young women

Bricklayer Robin Dorman was showering when he found lumps in his right breast during Christmas of 2016.

"I knew what it was as soon as I felt it with my first one because my mum had had a mammogram," he said.

"I had a younger sister who had it when she was 40-odd and her one came back 10 years later on her other side, and it was that aggressive it killed her.

"I have another sister who had a mammogram before I went in for my first operation, so as soon as I felt it, I knew what it was."

Dorman returned to work but his cancer returned.

"Two-and-a-half years later I was in the shower again and I found something on my left-hand side."

It was breast cancer again but this time a lot of muscle needed to be removed.

"That was a tough one to get over."

Five men in the Rotorua region have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past two years.

On average there have been 80 people diagnosed in the region every year, including young women in their 20s.

Megan Hati received the news that she had breast cancer on her son's sixth birthday in September 2021.

She was just 28 years old.

"The first thing you think is 'death'," Hati said.

"It was kind of like a bombshell - I just freaked out and started crying."

Her first thought was her children, "because as soon as you hear cancer you just think, 'I'm going to die'".

At the time of diagnosis, she was 33 weeks pregnant with her fourth child.

"I went in, got my left breast removed.

"At the same time they had taken lymph nodes out to see if the cancer had spread, then they found out it had spread into two lymph nodes.

"So I had to get induced to have my baby before the next surgery.

"I got induced, had my baby, then just over a week later I went into surgery for my arm."

She had five months of chemotherapy followed by three weeks of radiotherapy.

Hati said she could not have fought her battle with breast cancer without her partner and his unwavering support after she lost most of her hair.

"He stayed by my side the whole way, and helped with the kids.

"I was treated like a queen. I could sit around and do nothing and he would vacuum the house and do the kids and do the dishes, cook for me.

"Every time I cried he always made sure I felt, you know, reminded me it's okay," she said.

Dorman said his desire to care for his wife Francis, who was battling her own illnesses, motivated him to fight to survive.

"I love her to bits," he said.

"We've been through a lot of crap in the last five years or so, but we're still here.

"She's had her battles and I've had mine," he said.

He has a lifesaving message for all.

"Don't be frightened or embarrassed when you're in the shower to feel your tits," Dorman said.

"If you do find something, or something's not right, or it doesn't feel right, go to your doctor and get it checked out as soon as possible."

He said twice he was able to get his diagnosis early.

"That is the key.

"If you find anything out of the ordinary, don't ignore it, get something done about it."

Hati said mammograms should be mandatory for women of all ages.

"If your armpit hurts, or anywhere around there hurts - something is off, go get it checked," she said.

Six per cent of breast cancer in New Zealand happens to people under the age of 40.

About 25 men in New Zealand are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.