SAN ANTONIO -- The Susan G. Komen San Antonio Race for the Cure is a couple of weeks away.
They are not the common face of breast cancer, but one San Antonio man says stories like his need to be told, too.
"Men don't think it's something they can experience," said Richard Kiehle.
But nearly 2,000 men were diagnosed with breast cancer last year, alone. Richard Kiehle knows just what that means.
"It's very traumatic," said Richard.
A couple years ago, the 73-year-old experienced the most common symptom: A lump in his chest area.
"I first noticed I may have breast cancer when I was shaving," explained Richard.
"He said also there's a knot, and I said uh-oh," said Richard's wife Jane Kiehle.
Richard had stage 2 breast cancer and immediately started treatment.
"Fourteen days later, he lost all of his hair," Jane told News 4 WOAI.
His wife was right by his side, even when times got really tough.
"He did tell me later on he was bitter the first year. 'Why me? I'm a man. Why do I have breast cancer?'" recalled Jane. "Then he said 'Why not me? Why am I better than anybody else?'"
Kiehle is now 75 and in remission. It is a stage in his life where he wants to warn other men.
"Be aware that you can get breast cancer," warned Richard. "It's not a thing that only women get. So, be aware that it can happen to you."
The Susan G. Komen San Antonio Race for the Cure hopes to raise $600,000 for education and treatment programs for people like Kiehle. But they're still less than halfway to the goal.
For more information on how you can help the cause,
click here.
