NORFOLK, Va. - Forget what you've heard - pink isn't just for girls, and breast cancer doesn't just affect women.
That last fact is one of the reasons why the American Cancer Society is recruiting men to help fight breast cancer through the Real Men Wear Pink campaign.
One of those men is News 3 Anchor/Reporter Zak Dahlheimer, who's a recent cancer survivor himself.
Zak is passionate about volunteering with the American Cancer Society (ACS) and is honored to take part in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign, serving as co-chair of the 2021 Hampton Roads team. His story of survival and experience having friends battle cancer, particularly breast cancer, fuels his desire to raise awareness and help others in their fight and road to recovery.
Aside from skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women. According to the ACS, the average risk of a woman in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 13%, meaning there is a 1 in 8 chance she will develop breast cancer. However, this also means there is a 7 in 8 chance she will never have the disease.
For 2021, the ACS estimates that about 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women and that about 43,600 women will die from the disease.
Currently, there are more than 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., including women still being treated and those who have completed treatment.
Every dollar raised through the Real Men Wear Pink campaign helps the American Cancer Society save lives from breast cancer through early detection and prevention, innovative breast cancer research, and patient support.
You can make a contribution to Zak's personal donation page here.
Learn more about Real Men Wear Pink of Virginia here.
