Macmillan Cancer Support has been working with the team at EastEnders to help them portray a realistic cancer experience on screen. EastEnders actor, Ricky Champ, who plays Stuart Highway in the soap, has had regular meetings with Doug, 60, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012.

In late 2011 Doug felt a lump on his left nipple which he presumed was a cyst and continued to ignore ‘as blokes do’. Similar to the EastEnders’ storyline, it was Doug’s partner who encouraged him to visit his GP and get it checked out as she had looked on the internet and thought the symptoms might be serious.

After a number of tests he was diagnosed with breast cancer. Doug says: “Being told I had breast cancer was a scary and confusing time, not only for me, but also for my friends and family. But everyone was so supportive, some even made light hearted comments about the news to lift the gloom, something they knew I would appreciate.”
One of the reasons Doug felt confused was because he didn’t think it could be breast cancer, it’s not spoken about as much in men as women.