A dad who thought it "felt funny" when his daughter elbowed him in his chest discovered he was living with breast cancer.
Phil Alderson, from New Brighton, was playing with his daughter Evie in 2016, when he began experiencing discomfort after he was nudged in his left nipple. Later that day, Phil discovered a small, pea-sized mass on his chest and decided to visit his GP to get it checked out.
After undergoing an ultrasound, biopsy and mammogram, Phil, who was 44 at the time, was told he had stage two breast cancer. The dad-of-one told the ECHO: "My daughter elbowed me and it was only a couple of hours later I was lying there and I could feel something wasn’t right. I was like, ‘What is that? Something is there.
READ MORE: 'Model student' suspended over Vivienne Westwood black shoes
“The minute you hear the word cancer it just hits you. It was like an advert where the room blurs out and you can’t hear what people are saying. It’s obviously a really upsetting thing to hear."
Phil, now 50, underwent a mastectomy and had to take oral medication for five years before officially being discharged from treatment in 2021. The designer said there is a "stigma" attached to having breast cancer as a man, with only 350 men in the UK diagnosed with the condition each year.
He said: "There’s this thing about it being a female illness which it absolutely isn’t. Everyone has breast tissue so everyone is potentially at risk.
"Historically, men are quite bad at getting things checked out. I’ve always been quite good at going to the doctors if I notice something isn’t right.
"Sadly, my dad actually died of skin cancer but he didn’t tell anyone and kept it to himself. Early detection and taking action are two of the most important things."
Phil is now teaming up with Moonpig as part of their new initative to mark Breast Cancer Awareness month. The brand has partnered with ITV’s Lorraine, and its Change + Check campaign, to create a range of cards to help promote breast cancer awareness.
Phil said: “This project seemed like a really exciting thing to be involved in. If we can get big, high profile brands like Moonpig on board and promoting products that are genuinely going to raise awareness, and make donations towards charities that are going to help people who have breast cancer, I’m all behind it.
"I’m genuinely healthy and well now which is why early detection is so important. I speak to people now who didn’t for various reasons, catch it as early as I did, and they are living in a very different world to what I am. If we can promote early detection, that could change everything.”
To find out more about Moonpig's campaign, click here.
READ NEXT:
Police officer accused of punching girl, 2, and hitting her with door during raid
Ava White's sister cries as she recalls race to hospital after stabbing
Three Signature Living hotels and a gym owed over £56m as they collapsed into administration
Woman wants to find man on Lanzarote TUI flight she had 'connection' with
Police found note saying 'I am evil, I did this' in home of Lucy Letby
