A Proud Role Model
- Former music executive Mathew Knowles steered daughters Beyoncé and Solange Knowles toward superstardom in the late ’90s, and now he gets to offer that wisdom and guidance to his grandchildren, often sharing that passion is the “key to success.”
- The Houston-based university professor, 72, shared a post this week from a visit with Solange’s son Julez Smith in New York, and raved about his eldest grandson’s passion for modeling.
- As a role model to these younger generations, Knowles, a breast cancer survivor, knew he had to take better care of himself, and has said he feels better today than before he had cancer. Knowles is also vocal about genetic testing and early screening for breast cancer, for both women and high-risk men.
- Knowles is BRCA2-positive. BRCA mutation (which is passed on from a father or a mother), can cause a variety of cancers, including breast and ovarian cancer. Speak with your doctor today about genetic testing and be sure to stay up on your mammograms — men, too if you’re high risk.
The Houston-based university professor, 72, shared a post this week from a visit with Solange’s son Julez Smith in New York, and raved about his eldest grandson’s passion for modeling.
Read MoreKnowles also has three other grandchildren, Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s kids Blue Ivy Carter, 12, and twins Sir and Rumi, 6. (Blue Ivy recently debuted her performance skills as a back-up dancer for mom.)
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The proud grandpa also shared some press coverage of Julez earlier this week, where he was featured alongside supermodel Gigi Hadid in separate shots walking the Versace runway in Milan.
“I’m so proud of my Grandson Julez. His debut as a fashion model has been extraordinary. I’m even more proud that he found the thing that he is passionate about which is the key to success.”
As a role model to these younger generations, Knowles knew he had to back that up by taking care of himself.
“I made key changes in my life, because I felt I was worth it,” the author told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview of improving his lifestyle after cancer.
Knowles’ Breast Cancer Journey
In 2019, Mathew Knowles was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, or what he prefers to call “male chest cancer,” as he feels that maybe more men will get checked if the word “breast” isn’t associated and since that area on a male is usually referred to as their chest.
Some survivors argue the opposite to destigmatize the word “breast” when it comes to male breast cancer so men know that they can also get the disease. However, each individual has a right to express their own personal journey as they wish — and the intentions in this case are the same.
When Knowles shared his cancer journey with SurvivorNet, he said he takes charge of his health just like he would a business. He says he stopped drinking and made some hefty lifestyle changes, including eating a clean diet.
“It’s like everything else in life. It’s about knowledge,” he tells SurvivorNet. “And knowledge is power.”
Knowles said he carries the BRCA2 gene mutation, which means that his offspring have a 50/50 of getting cancer, whether it’s coming from your mother or father, according to the National Cancer Institute. When asked, Knowles notes that his daughters do get checked regularly (and they have actually tested negative for the gene mutation).
“The more information we have, the better we can educate men and women about early detection.”
Added Knowles of his previously mentioned health argument, “A man could really feel better about himself saying ‘I have male chest cancer.’ Think about it, would you like to stand up at a podium as a female and say ‘I have prostate cancer.’ How would you like to do that?”
He urges people to do genetic testing, and high risk men to screen with mammograms. “They need to get a mammogram if they’re in a high risk category.”
There Is No Shame in Male Breast Cancer
When Marc Futterweit’s doctor told him he should get a mammogram, Marc’s response was to consult a different doctor.
The hard truth is that a lot of men simply don’t think they can get breast cancer. It’s a lot less common than breast cancer in women, but it does happen. And it needs to be addressed when it does.
“The problem with men is that they wait, they think things are going to go away and then there’s a real problem,” Marc told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. “When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t tell my wife. I thought I was holding it together.”
There’s Not Much Out There About Male Breast Cancer — Let’s Change That
Marc actually didn’t tell his family for a while after he was diagnosed. He didn’t know how they would react. When they did find out, they rallied around him … and he realized that being a male with breast cancer is nothing to be ashamed of.
“Men are basically standing in the shadows, they’re ashamed or embarrassed,” Marc said.
“Just remember, it’s nothing that you have done to cause you to get breast cancer. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s not a woman’s disease.”
Learning More About BRCA Mutations
BRCA (a breast cancer gene mutation) is actually two genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), each proteins that work as tumor suppressors. They help repair damaged DNA, and are important for ensuring the stability of each cell’s genetic material.
When either of these genes is altered, that mutation can mean that its protein product does not function properly, or that damaged DNA may not be repaired correctly. These inherited mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 can increase the risk of female breast and ovarian cancers, and have also been associated with increased risks for several other cancers.
RELATED: How Testing For BRCA In Breast Cancer Works
Dr. Rebecca Arend, Associate Scientist at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, explains the mutation in terms of its ability to repair damaged DNA: “What a BRCA mutation is, is a defect in your ability to repair a double-strand break (in your DNA).”
The BRCA mutation (which is passed on from a father or a mother), can cause a variety of cancers, including fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer, which are ovarian cancers.
Speak with your doctor today about genetic testing and be sure to stay up on your mammograms — men, too if you’re high risk.
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