Mike Camp LeJeune NC male breast cancer survivor
’m Mike, I was born in January 1968 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I was diagnosed at the age of 39 and had no family history. I was BRCA 1 and 2 negative. My father graduated from the US Naval Academy and served his commission in the USMC. I was conceived shortly after my parents arrived on base. I was diagnosed with breast cancer on my 18th wedding anniversary. The photograph I am holding was taken on the day I was born. Note the half full glass of water and formula bottle at the lower left corner of the photo. That water provided to the base hospital was highly contaminated with PCE, TCE, benzene and vinyl chloride. I was nowhere safe, not even in my mother’s arms. Perhaps the greatest fear any young mother would face is that she did something during her pregnancy that would harm her child. I saw this terror in my mother’s eyes after we found out about the Camp Lejeune drinking water contamination. This cluster of men with breast cancer from Camp Lejeune is our warning… we are affecting our environment and it is affecting us. What are we doing to our children?