By Sylvia Powers
Correspondent
I Messenger Media
When Clifford Armstead noticed a small red spot on his shirt back in 2016, he had no idea that moment would change his life—and eventually help change the lives of others. What seemed like a food that spilled on his shirt turned out to be something far more serious: male breast cancer.
“I just thought it was something minor,” Clifford recalls. “I put a bandage on it, thinking it would go away. But it didn’t. My wife saw the bandage and insisted I go to the doctor. That’s when everything shifted.”
After a mammogram at the Women’s Imaging Center at Methodist Hospital, Clifford received the life-changing diagnosis. It came during his lunch break, and he returned to work that day knowing he had cancer.
cancer, Cayden was young and struggled to cope with the reality that his father had the disease
One in a Thousand
Male breast cancer is rare. When Clifford was diagnosed, the statistics showed just one in1,000 men would face this disease. “There was nothing online, no information about what I was going through,” he said. “It felt like I was the only one.”
Over the last few years, the rate of male breast cancer has increased.
According to the American Cancer Society, the average lifetime risk of breast cancer in men is approximately 1 in 726. However, an individual’s risk may be higher or lower depending on specific risk factors.
But through his physician’s network, Clifford was introduced to a newly forming support group for male breast cancer survivors. That introduction would become a lifeline.
The night before his double mastectomy, he received a call from Rev. Michael Ennette Sr., founder of the Men-4-Men Breast Cancer Support Group.
“He asked, ‘Are you the guy with the bad titty?’” Clifford laughed as he recalled the conversation. “That broke the ice.”
The next morning, three men from the support group—strangers at the time—met Clifford and his wife at 4:45 a.m. at the hospital. They prayed with him, sat with his wife through the six-hour surgery, and offered the support he never knew he needed.
His personal motto?
Knowing that screening saved his life, Armstead’s motto is “Go get seen. Go get screened.”
He shares this phrase at every opportunity, aiming to shift the mindset of men—especially Black men—who often ignore early warning signs or delay medical attention. “Too many men don’t find out until it’s too late. By the time they’re diagnosed, the cancer has already spread.”
Cancer Didn’t Stop at the Chest
Two years after surviving breast cancer, Clifford was diagnosed with prostate cancer. “The numbers were off the charts. My PSA level was supposed to be under 4, but mine was 265.”
Again, he beat the odds.
Thanks to collaborative care from Methodist Hospital and MD Anderson, Clifford received an experimental treatment that stabilized his cancer. “I’m still here,” he said, adding that the cancer hasn’t spread. “I don’t let it define me. I live my life and help others.”
Family, Faith, and the Face of a Movement
Behind Clifford is a devoted support system—his wife Ayona, daughter Chanel, and son Caden. Ayona has been his rock throughout the journey, from urging him to see a doctor to caring for him post-surgery.
“She’s my angel,” Clifford said. “I didn’t even realize she was my caregiver until someone pointed it out for a book on caregivers. She’s done everything—cleaned wounds, attended every appointment, made sure I was taking care of myself.”
Together, they’ve faced every challenge. Today, they’re not only celebrating Clifford’s life—they’re also celebrating the five grandchildren he’s lived to meet, children he might never have known had he not listened to his wife and taken that first step toward diagnosis.
“There are men out there who are embarrassed and who feel alone. I’m here to say: ‘you’re not. You can survive this. And we’re here for you.’”
He now mentors others through the Men-4-Men Breast Cancer Support Group, helping connect patients with nurse navigators, doctors, nutritionists, and emotional support, as well as providing housing for out-of-town treatment.
And if they transition, Clifford and the group are there for the families, offering comfort and support during the most difficult times.
Armstead will share his powerful testimony at the 24th Sister to Sister Fitness Festival at the Alan E. Sims Cedar Hill Recreation Center.
For more information, go to www.celebratinglife.org.
Sylvia Powers is an awar dwinning author, accomplished writer, gifted photographer, and nationally recognized breast cancer advocate with a deep passion for empowering others.
