Meet Raymond Valentine: A Voice for Early Detection
“Early detection is cancer’s kryptonite.” This is one of the key messages that Raymond Valentine shares with audiences of all ages when he speaks at events. Whether it’s a room full of college students or adults well into their retirement years, his goals are always the same: know the early signs of cancer, listen to your body, and speak up when something doesn’t feel right.
Raymond became an advocate for cancer awareness and research after his own unexpected journey with breast cancer in 2019. “It was a unique experience, and it made me passionate because of what I learned while I was going through it,” he said.
During a busy season in life, Raymond was working in his backyard when he felt an unusual lump the size of a number 2 pencil eraser in his left breast. While it caused no pain, he set a reminder to bring it up at his upcoming annual physical. “I did something that I was later told almost no men do: I asked a doctor about it. What I thought was innocuous became a whirlwind event.”
His primary care physician referred him for both a mammogram and ultrasound to investigate it further. Raymond noted that the mammogram machines are not ideally set up for male patients with less breast tissue, but they were still able to identify the mass, which led to a biopsy and soon after, a shocking diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma.
Raymond recalls conversations he had with others who had been through breast cancer and the range of choices his care team provided for him. He opted for a mastectomy, and his surgical team removed tissue from the left breast. The tissue sample came back with clean margins, eliminating the need for follow-up radiation treatment.
As he recovered from surgery, he saw how fully his community supported him, from every member of his oncology team to his friends and family. “So many people show up and are now in your camp, even ones who didn’t know you before.” While he was eager to return to normalcy, Raymond knew that he also wanted to use his experience to educate others and inspire hope in other patients facing this disease.
Raymond has shared his story with cancer-connected organizations across the southeastern U.S. He has a special place in his heart for the V Foundation as he was a college student the years Jim Valvano was coaching. “I’m the perfect age of someone who would know all about Jimmy V. They had their run to the National Championship and then his life was turned upside down by what he went through with cancer,” said Raymond. “It was admirably brave how he handled everything. Now going back through my own experience, I knew I wanted to be involved.”
In the last five years, he’s been part of a data pool of breast cancer patients to help drive forward research, specifically related to the diagnosis and outcomes for male patients. He’s also spoken at events, participated in fundraisers, and continued to spread awareness about this disease.
“I’m comfortable speaking to hundreds of people, but all I need is one listener. One person at a time to hear this message,” he said. “I’m proud to talk about my story, but I also try to make it less about male breast cancer and more about reminding people that cancer doesn’t care who you are.”
Raymond continues to educate others and emphasize the importance of early detection, and he is confident that the ultimate goal – Victory Over Cancer® – is within our reach.
“There are layers upon layers of people working toward the same goal,” he said. “Breakthroughs in cancer research continuously give us hope and get us closer to a cure. One day, someone will have the “aha!” moment and this disease will be over with.”
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