Yesterday was a great day, and not one that I thought would happen so soon. I met and was photographed by David Jay, the man behind the SCAR Project.
I had contacted David some months ago, soon after my diagnosis when I came across his work on social media. People were discussing the excesses of pink, and David’s work was held up as an example of how to look at breast cancer in a different way. It is striking, and as a fan of photography I was drawn to it.
As is explained on the SCAR Project website and in the very interesting documentary that was made about it, Baring it All, David came to it through a personal connection, when his girlfriend’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age. The goal of the women’s project is to raise awareness that there are young women who get this cancer and to show how they deal with it. Powerful stuff.
So when I approached David about including men, our discussion first focused on how that would work. We talked about the fact that the median incidence in men is 67 vs 62 in women, and that if you consider that there are 100 times fewer men with the disease than women, that guys under 40 with breast cancer are very rare. And that of course there is much less awareness about the men’s disease, regardless of the age.
So David has said that the men’s Project is distinct from the women’s and its goals are different. It’s more about the fact that men, regardless of age, get breast cancer too, and how it affects them differently, in terms of their bodies and self-image. So you’ll see older guys in the photos than on the women’s side, and the two bodies of work are really separate though of course they share a common thread.
As I wrote here a little while ago, the first guy to be photographed was Bill Becker out in Connecticut a couple of weeks back. Yesterday another man and I were photographed here in Houston. More people are on the list and will be photographed as scheduling allows.
We are truly underway. Thank you, David.
If you are interested in joining the project, please click the tab at the top of the page and fill out the brief contact form to send me a message. We would love to hear from you.
Entering a World of Pink 
I have seen the pictures from this project they are so well done.. They certainly show breast cancer for what it truly is…
Hi Oliver, I am sorry that you and your family are going through this experience. At the same time, i believe that you are an amazing advocate and source of inspiration and information for other men in the same position. How lucky they are to have you.
Big Hug,
Zelly
Congratulations on being a part of this project — I have seen some of his older images and thought they were well done.
I am glad David was open to your idea and I look forward to seeing the final project!
I’m thrilled for you and all of the men that you will help! As an added bonus, you .will know be able to reminisce aloud to your children about your “modeling days”