A father-of-two who survived breast cancer is helping other men who are diagnosed with the disease.

David Wrigley, 54, was stunned when he was told he had breast cancer nearly two years ago. He had been admitted to hospital for tests after discovering a lump on his chest.

But David said nothing could have prepared him for the shock of being told he had cancer - let alone being diagnosed with a disease he thought affected only women.

"I had never heard of men getting breast cancer. I was thinking how long have I got?" he said.

David, a stocktaking manager at a builders merchants, said he was handed information about the disease and told he would be having an operation. He said: "When I was in the breast clinic, all the other guys in there were supporting their partners and wives, they were looking at me funny when they saw me going in there alone.

"I was given a leaflet, the nurse was apologising, there was not a lot in there for men." David said after being diagnosed he called his wife, Sheila, and son and daughter, Andrew, 28, and Gemma, 24, at their home at Badger Hill in Rastrick, Brighouse.

He said: "We all came to the house and thought we would make the most of what we had got in the face of trying to come to terms with it.

"We decided as a family we were going to fight it and to make the best of Christmas."

In the weeks after his diagnosis David underwent a full mastectomy on his right side. He then underwent follow-up treatment of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

During his recovery he decided to research the information available to male breast cancer sufferers. But then he was advised to look at the Breast Cancer Care (BCC) website - www.breastcancercare.org.uk.

Through the charity David was put in touch with a man from Scotland who had also been diagnosed with breast cancer. It gave him a chance to share his worries.

David, now in remission, said he would not have been able to deal with the illness if it hadn't been for his family and the support provided by BCC. Now David has used his experience to help others.

He recently helped BCC complete a booklet, full of information, which will be handed out to any men diagnosed with the disease.

And he has been signed up to strut his stuff at a fashion show in London on Wednesday, October 4. The show will be supported by former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell. All of the models will have had breast cancer.

  • Anyone affected can ask for help by telephoning the helpline on 0808 800 6000.
e-mail: rebecca.wright@bradford.newsquest.co.uk