My partner and I were talking about male breast cancer, and I realized - I'm 43 and I’ve never checked my own breasts. After that discussion, I decided to check myself and found a lump.

Since then, I’ve noticed changes in the shape of my breast, pain, nipple discharge, thickening, and swelling of the breast.

I didn’t make any changes to my lifestyle after receiving the diagnosis.

My cancer was in both breasts, and there were two different types to remove. My initial treatment plan involved

• Mastectomy
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Hormone therapy
• Targeted therapy

I decided on this plan after doing my own research.

Unfortunately, my white blood cells were borderline so a decision was made to change treatment. I’m now only on chemotherapy, as the doctor had recommended.

Deciding on my treatments made me feel quite positive, I felt happy, relieved, motivated, and hopeful about them.

I didn’t feel side effects.

However, I faced financial difficulties. I’m unable to work while undergoing breast cancer treatment, and live off €367 per week. I have 5 children, rent, and bills to pay still.

I didn't plan to make any lifestyle changes. Nowadays, I call my parents more often. Unfortunately, I’ve spent a lot less time with my children since finding out I had cancer. I also haven’t gone on our usual family trips.

I have no plans currently, I just live day by day now, and want to beat cancer.

I just want to survive, my family, grandson and kids keep me motivated. They remind me that there's an end goal at the end of this journey, and that's to beat cancer. With my loved ones, I just want to be around to watch them grow, marry (and) have a family of their own.

My biggest fear is it'll beat me before I beat it as I've triple negative in my left breast and that's grade 2-3 and I've ER positive in my right breast. To overcome my fear, I just try to stay positive. I don't wake up thinking “I have cancer”. I try to live day to day as if I was cancer free.

Right now, I feel much more optimistic. I feel more confident, courageous, hopeful and thankful.

To those also facing cancer, I'd say, "The word "cancer" is scary but having cancer isn't a death sentence. There are so many cures, treatments and new trials coming on board all the time… Keep a positive attitude and positive mentality, because that's what's going to get you through your darkest of days."