Men rally against breast cancer with Real Men Wear Pink campaigns

(WJBK) - October is almost here, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a group of men are rallying against breast cancer with a fundraising campaign -- Real Men Wear Pink. 

"Unless you've had cancer and gone through it, it's hard to fathom all the support system that you need," says Miguel Mickey. As a cancer survivor himself, this fight hits close to home. He'll be raising money in October by wearing something pink every day, as part of his Real Men Wear Pink campaign. 

"It's really heavy. I know when I was diagnosed I was just shocked and amazed. I didn't know whether I was going to die, I had no clue," he says. 

But Miguel, now cancer free, had a great support system as he recovered from prostate cancer. He knows plenty of other people don't - and that's where the American Cancer Society comes in, helping patients with transportation and lodging in addition to the society's commitment to research and prevention.

"This year, 268,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer; 2,500 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and we know that beside every women who is diagnosed, somewhere a man is impacted," says Abigail Samuels of the American Cancer Society. Which is why 70 men throughout Metro Detroit, Oakland and Ann Arbor are part of the Real Men Wear Pink campaign. One of them is George Khalife. "George the Jeweler" is throwing a big pink carpet gala.

"It's a great feeling knowing that I have the opportunity to give back," he says. "I think this is an incredible cause, it means a lot to me, so I hope to raise a good amount of money for the campaign."

Each man is asked to raise at least $2,500. The campaign is now in its third year and has raised $300,000 so far.

Other real men wearing pink this year include Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard and Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer, former Congressman John Dingell and even 6-year-old Porter Barnes.

"That's what's so neat about this campaign. Men get behind the women in their lives and take a stand against breast cancer,and they all do it in their own individual way," says Amy Howard from the American Cancer Society. 

For more information about the Real Men Wear Pink campaign in Metro Detroit, click here. For Ann Arbor's, click here.