My father taught me that when you have a problem, find someone else who has the same problem and talk to them about it. Real life experiences trump almost every other kind of information. Although women are 100 times more likely than men to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and less than one percent of breast cancer patients are men, men do get breast cancer.

Some of the signs of breast cancer include:

• Lump or thickening in the breast.
• Skin dimpling or puckering.
• Development of a new retraction or indentation of the nipple.
• Redness of scaling of the nipple or breast skin.
• A spontaneous clear or bloody discharge from the nipple.
  

Some of the known risk factors include: age, family history, genetic predisposition, radiation exposure, Klinefelter syndrome (a congenital abnormality of the sex chromosomes X and Y), exposure to estrogen, liver disease, excess weight and excess alcohol consumption.

Breast cancer resources for men are few and far between, but to follow my father's advice about finding someone to talk to and learn from that has faced the same real life experience, I tracked down several resources men diagnosed with breast cancer might find of interest.

Newsday is featuring the personal story of breast cancer survivor Cameron Alden. Alden tells his breast cancer story as part of a personal cause to raise awareness that men can be diagnosed with breast cancer.

USA Today's Richard Roundtree 'Knows the Score' on cancer features breast cancer survivor Roundtree's personal story and his work with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to raise men's awareness about the disease.

The John W. Nick Foundation was created in memory of John W. Nick, who died from breast cancer at the age of 58. Male breast cancer survivors John W. Nick, Captain Edward J. Wilson, Bob Stafford, Walter Creekmore, David Eisenberg, Mark Eldridge, Dave Lyons, and Ken Graham by Sue Graham share their personal stories of breast cancer on the foundation website.

MALEBC is a discussion mailing list for men with breast cancer. Currently it has 27 members.

Because men often face shock, embarrassment and isolation when diagnosed with breast cancer, the National Breast Cancer Centre has launched Breast Cancer in Men, Australia's first website launched for men with breast cancer offering information and resources from diagnosis to living beyond breast cancer written specifically for men.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 1,720 men will receive a breast cancer diagnosis this year, and 460 men will die from the disease. For men, breast cancer is most frequently diagnosed between the ages of 60 and 70. If any of our readers are aware of other internet resources specifically written for men facing breast cancer, please leave the resource and a link in the comments area following this post.

Ford has been very active in the race for a breast cancer cure with its Warriors in Pink campaign -- which has raised 87 million dollars and counting -- for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

One of our favorite sibling blogs, Autoblog has posted Ford Bold Moves - Episode 16: The Warriors (and one wicked crash) including video of the Ford Bold Moves web-based documentary series 16th episode which features race car driver Katherine Legge during her recent race at Road America behind the wheel of Warriors in Pink race car. She crashed during the race but was able to make it out without injury and returned to racing as a Warrior in Pink five days later.

After the crash, and the return to racing as a Warrior in Pink, Legge said, "You have to keep trying. You never give up. Basically, I am a firm believer if you want something bad enough you make it happen. So you just keep plugging away. Determination is the name of the game I reckon."

Legge definitively symbolizes the attitude of a warrior.

For more on Warriors in Pink, we have these related posts:

• Warriors in Pink: enter to win new car help create virtual quilt
• Grey's Anatomy cast become Warriors in Pink
• Warriors in Pink: believers survivors fighters
• Ford's Warriors will bang their drums on ABC's The View
  

Thanks to Joel Arellano for alerting us to this story and John Neff for blogging about it!

For the tenth year, BMW is partnering with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, in The Ultimate Drive campaign to raise funds for breast cancer awareness, research and prevention programs. BMW will donate $1 dollar for every mile you test drive BMW's 2006 3 Series or 7 Series. To date, The Ultimate Drive has raised over $9 million dollars for breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs. The Ultimate Drive runs from March to October, with two fleets of specially marked BMWs touring the country, making pit stops in 200 cities.

In addition, BMW’s Pink Ribbon Collection offers an exclusive line of merchandise for sale year round. Depending on the product, BMW will donate between twenty-two percent to fifty-five percent of the gross profits from the Pink Ribbon Collection to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. For more information on how to participate in BMW's The Ultimate Drive, or shop in the Pink Ribbon Collection for merchandise, visit the BMW USA webpage or call toll-free 1-877-4-A-DRIVE. 

Wacoal Fit For The Cure is an annual breast cancer fundraising campaign to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Wacoal, designer of intimate apparel in the United States, Japan, Asia and Europe, will donate $2 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for each woman who receives a complimentary fitting from a Wacoal fit specialist, or $2 donation for every bra purchase.

Wacoal has set a goal of raising $1,000,000 dollars for breast cancer research and prevention, and has guaranteed a minimum donation of $200,000 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. If you are interested in participating in this fundraiser, you can learn all the details about the campaign and find the nearest retailer by visiting Wacoal's Fit For The Cure campaign page.

Art inspires everybody in different ways. Mary Ellen Fresquez, owner of Ink It! in Gilbert, Arizona, was inspired by a bunch of blank papier-mâché torsos she got for a good deal from one of her suppliers. The curvy female torsos reminded Fresquez of the many women who suffer from breast cancer. She put her creativity to good use and decided to approach local artists with her idea of decorating the female torsos in any manner they saw fit. Every media from feather boas to paint to rhinestones were used to adorn the figures. Some artists paid tribute to friends who are survivors and loved ones they have lost to breast cancer. The masterpieces are to be presented at her store for a silent auction. All proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.