- Real Stories
James’ Male Breast Cancer Story
Meet the lovely James, who received his Chemotherapy and Surgery Boxes in May and July 2026 through The Little Kindness Fund, which enables us to provide free Little Lifts gift Boxes to people receiving treatment at non-partner hospitals across the UK.
James’ breast cancer diagnosis and treatment
James was diagnosed in March 2026 with triple-positive breast cancer after ignoring a lump for 2 months. Since then, he has had 16 rounds of chemotherapy and a mastectomy. He is currently in the middle of radiotherapy, before undergoing a further 12 cycles of chemotherapy.
What James said about his Little Lifts Boxes:
James said that receiving his surgery and chemotherapy Boxes made him feel “uplifted and smiley again, when things felt pretty rubbish.” He also felt that Little Lifts “truly seemed to understand what I was dealing with.” He particularly liked that “nothing felt cheap or throwaway, truly a curated box of treats, all designed around the side effects and symptoms I was experiencing,” noting that he “especially loved the herbs and chilli oil to help with the tastes of chemo, and the Moo Goo which is so good for sore skin.”
Raising awareness about breast cancer in men
Living in Hebden Bridge, in Yorkshire, with his partner Emily, James works as a Marketing Director. In his spare time, he loves painting oil portraits, travelling, writing plays, and spending time in nature.
James has been using his social media pages to raise awareness about male breast cancer by openly and honestly documenting his experiences with treatments and their side effects. Each year, around 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer, and James is using his platform to spread the word about this important issue.
James’ three top tips for breast cancer treatment:
⭐“Rest, and forgive yourself for doing so. I know how hard it can be to just give in to it.”
⭐“Talk about it to people. As much as possible. It really helps.”
⭐ “Be kind to yourself. You don’t deserve to have breast cancer, but your medical team are going to help you get through it.”
Thank you for sharing your experience and helping spread support and kindness, James.
Apply for your own Little Lifts Box here.
To learn more about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, click here.
If you’d like to support more people like James, you can set up a regular donation and help Little Lifts continue supporting people through breast cancer treatment.
