DALLAS — Going to a doctor regularly can prevent you from getting really sick, but if you do get really sick you’ll have to see a doctor regularly. Galen Johnson wants you to learn from him and pick the first option. 

What You Need To Know

  • Galen Johnson, a Dallas-based photographer, is battling Stage 3 breast cancer 

  • Johnson says he initially ignored a lump on his chest 

  • Obesity, age and an increase in estrogen in men can be contributing factors, medical experts say 

  • Johnson is undergoing chemotherapy and is set to begin several rounds of radiation 

Johnson is the man to follow around if you're looking for fun things to do in Dallas. This October he’s spending time at the State Fair of Dallas with his fancy camera that often draws celebrity-like attention to him. 

“When you pull this monster out, everybody wants to know who you are and what you’re doing,” said Johnson. 

When he’s not at an event, he's usually standing at a baseball or soccer field to get a good action shot of his grandkids playing. He is not shy and doesn’t mind having all those eyes on him. 

“I’m alive and I’m here because of what I’m going through,” he added. 

He’s using this newfound fame for a mission to spread a message. If you give him even just 10 seconds of your time, he’s ready to try and save your life or the life of someone you know. Johnson makes himself a walking billboard for cancer in a form that you don’t usually see. He is on his 15th chemo appointment and has three sessions left before starting 10 rounds of radiation. 

“All my life I’ve been taught about prostate cancer, colon cancer - that’s what guys talk about. When you go to the doctor, they never talk to you about breast cancer,” he explained. 

Stage 3 breast cancer is what Johnson is dealing with. He says he ignored a lump on his chest for a little bit but then went to the doctor after having shortness of breath. The findings from some tests showed Johnson’s breast cancer formed because of genetics. 

“Men are stubborn. We just don’t like going to doctors. If I would have listened to my body, I would have caught it before it was precancerous,” Johnson said. 

Breast cancer is a rare diagnosis for men. The risk for the disease goes up after a man hits 50 or if obesity is a factor. According to Johnson’s doctor, Umar Butt, there are other signs to pay attention to when it comes to male breast cancer. 

"Any kind of condition that causes an increase estrogen in males," Dr. Butt explained. "It can be age or it can be linked to certain kinds of medication that increases estrogen levels." 

Johnson says he can’t afford to be defeated by his diagnosis because while he’s sharing his story so that others can have a chance at catching breast cancer early, he says he has his grandchildren to live for. 

"It's very important for me to win this battle so I can see my grandkids graduate from high school and college. I'm not talking about just in a few years, that's 10 to 15 years down the road. I'm talking about kicking this thing in the butt and watching those kids grow up," he said.