In 2004, Eddie Redou Jr. had just retired from his job after 35 years and was preparing to enjoy his life and family. He had felt a mass in his chest a few months before his retirement, but he didn’t put much stock into it. Weeks later, he went to his doctor, but the doctor had no sense of urgency; but he did write an order for a mammogram. The mammogram was performed and was inconclusive so he was referred to a surgeon for a biopsy. The biopsy results came back in August of 2004 as positive for cancer.  This was a devastating diagnosis to both Eddie and his family. As a result of this diagnosis, Eddie’s daughter began to have annual mammograms. She was heartbroken to find that when she filled out her questionnaire for her mammogram, it only referenced mothers, grandmothers, aunts and other female family members. Eddie hated having such a diagnosis because he felt no other man could relate to what he was going through. So he kept his illness relatively quiet with the exception of his family and a friend of his daughter who had just completed her round of treatment for breast cancer. There was little support for men and the treatment was more centered on women.

 

Eddie passed away in May 2012 after an 8 year battle of metastatic breast cancer. Pecs Need Love Too began to evolve 7 months later in December of 2012. It is PNLT's goal to help raise awareness of male breast cancer by educating men about the risk factors, warning signs and the importance of early detection. It is also PNLT’s goal bring about reform so that breast cancer support and treatment is not centered around any one gender and men don’t have to be embarrassed about the diagnosis because they will know that Pecs Need Love Too.