A Nassau man is encouraging men diagnosed with breast cancer to stay vigilant in their fight against the disease following his own personal battle earlier this year.

Michael Landesberg, 46, of Plainview, says he felt a lump on the left side of his chest in April and was urged by a friend to get it checked out.

He was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer, which doctors say is an aggressive form of the disease. Landesberg underwent chemotherapy and a mastectomy, and is still in treatment.  

“I thought all breast cancers were the same and they're not. All breast cancers are not created equal,” he told News 12.

“When I was diagnosed, I was in a pretty dark place and I was amazed by the outpouring of support, not just by my family and friends…but by strangers. Complete strangers.”

Some of that support came from an organization called the Male Breast Cancer Coalition. Landesberg is now the group's Long Island advocate. He says now that he's on the road to recovery, he hopes to raise awareness and be there for others who may get a similar diagnosis.

“I just felt that it was really important to pay it forward, to share my story and to potentially help others. And if I save the life of even one person, it makes it all worth it,” he says.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.