Mathew Knowles is honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month by opening up about his own experience as a male breast cancer survivor living with the BRCA2 gene mutation.
The music executive and entrepreneur was shocked by his diagnosis, as well as by his decision to undergo a mastectomy—a procedure he had believed was mainly for women with breast cancer. Now, nearly five years into remission, he is dedicated to sharing his story and encouraging others to assess their own risk for breast and other cancers and take steps to reduce that risk.
To further his advocacy, Mathew has teamed up with AstraZeneca for the ‘BeBRCAware’ campaign. The initiative focuses on educating people about the significance of genetic testing, understanding family history and cancer risks, and how identifying an inherited BRCA mutation can guide personalized care for breast, prostate, and other cancers.
Knowles actually worked in medical sales and encouraged women to get mammograms to test for breast cancer. He sold diagnostic imaging equipment (mammogram) for 20 years before spearheading his eldest daughter Beyoncé’s superstar music career.
“So I’ve had this 20 years of information early detection in 1980,” Knowles tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I was trying to tell every woman that would listen the importance of getting a mammogram.”
Fast forward to 2019 when Knowles noticed tiny blood stains on his white t-shirt and in his bed. With a strong background selling mammogram equipment, Knowles knew what he needed to do.
“I knew immediately what that could mean from my training and then called my doctor and asked for a mammogram,” Knowles recalls. “He had never in 40 years had a male patient ask for a mammogram and I got a mammogram and sure enough I had breast cancer.”
The famed Destiny’s Child manager highlighted the differences between men and women who test positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation. Men face a higher risk of developing male breast or prostate cancer, while women are more likely to develop breast or ovarian cancer.
He emphasized that early detection through testing and a conversation with your doctor is key to managing these risks. Knowles is also happy to return to his roots and showcase his expertise.
“I am really excited about being back in the medical community,” he shares. “Most people don’t know that you know they know the music side, but they don’t know the medical side. And I really enjoyed the medical side because I’m a nerd and I like learning new things in medicine.”
Those interested in learning more can visit BeBRCAware.com for valuable tools and resources to help individuals learn about their genetic cancer risks and guide discussions with their doctors.
Press play below to learn more about Mathew Knowles’ breast cancer survival story and how the BeBRCAware campaign can help begin your journey to getting tested.
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