Couple Beat the Odds After 6 Cancer Diagnoses, Including Breast Cancer

According to a story from 29 News, a North Carolina couple married for more than five decades has faced down cancer six times between them, including a rare case of male breast cancer, and they’re now sharing their story to boost awareness about early detection and self‑advocacy.

David Penny, 73, found a small lump on his chest during a routine self‑exam last spring. He didn’t ignore it, and that decision likely saved his life. After testing and a lumpectomy with clean margins, his scans have stayed clear since. Male breast cancer is uncommon, accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancers in the United States, and David says he knows he was fortunate to catch it early.

Cancer is not new to David. Since 1982 he has survived non‑Hodgkin lymphoma, sarcoma and other cancers. “He was supposed to be dead at 30,” his wife Pat said, describing his long fight and resilient spirit.

Pat’s own battle with breast cancer began after a routine mammogram in 2009, when she was 56. She wasn’t worried at first, but doctors found a deep‑seated tumor that she never would have felt on her own. She completed treatment and was declared cancer‑free in 2010, and she has stayed healthy since.

Together, they’ve now survived six cancer diagnoses, and they use their journey to inspire others. As volunteers with the American Cancer Society, they encourage people to trust their instincts and act quickly when something feels off. “Nobody knows your body but you,” David said. Pat echoed that message, reminding people there is no age at which cancer can be ruled out. “Early detection and early treatment is so important,” she said.