A London-based chef is raising urgent awareness after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer… a disease often thought to only affect women.
Mat Kelly, 42, first discovered a lump in his chest while working in Chicago last October during a restaurant launch. Despite his concerns, he said he had to “fight for answers” before finally being diagnosed just two days before Christmas.
By January, scans revealed the cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes and spine. Kelly described the moment as a devastating “gut punch.”
Chemotherapy initially failed, and follow-up scans showed the disease was advancing. But Kelly is now responding to a treatment called Enhertu… a combination of targeted therapy and chemotherapy… that is currently keeping the cancer at bay.
“I’m on chemo for life every three weeks,” Kelly explained. “Right now, there’s no visible cancer in me, which is an amazing response. Some people live years like this… so I hold onto hope.”
Living with his fiancée Rachel in New Cross, London, Kelly is determined to use his story to break the stigma around male breast cancer.
His message: “Men, check your chests. If something feels off, see a doctor. Don’t ignore it.”
