When football fans remember the Cleveland Browns’ 1964 NFL Championship team, they recall the punishing backfield duo of Jim Brown and Ernie Green. As a fullback, Green’s grit and versatility helped the Browns secure their last league title, etching his name into franchise history. But for Green, one of his most defining battles would not take place on the gridiron.

In 2005, decades after his playing days were over, Green was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news was shocking—not only because of its severity, but because breast cancer in men remains rare and often overlooked.

In 2005, decades after his playing days were over, Green was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news was shocking—not only because of its severity, but because breast cancer in men remains rare and often overlooked.

“I was stunned,” Green later shared. “You just don’t think of men getting breast cancer. But I did. And I knew I had to fight.”

“I was stunned,” Green later shared. “You just don’t think of men getting breast cancer. But I did. And I knew I had to fight.”

Green underwent a mastectomy and endured months of chemotherapy. The same toughness that carried him through NFL practices and championship seasons fueled him through the draining rounds of treatment. Like many patients, he had to face fatigue, uncertainty, and the daunting stigma of a disease most often associated with women.

Green underwent a mastectomy and endured months of chemotherapy. The same toughness that carried him through NFL practices and championship seasons fueled him through the draining rounds of treatment. Like many patients, he had to face fatigue, uncertainty, and the daunting stigma of a disease most often associated with women.

But he refused to let that stigma define him. “Cancer doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman,” Green has said. “What matters is early detection and getting the right treatment.”

But he refused to let that stigma define him. “Cancer doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman,” Green has said. “What matters is early detection and getting the right treatment.”

Now 86 years old, Green has become a passionate voice for breast cancer awareness—especially for men, who may ignore symptoms or delay medical care because of fear or embarrassment. He uses every opportunity to share his story, hoping it will encourage others to pay attention to their health and speak up when something feels wrong.

Now 86 years old, Green has become a passionate voice for breast cancer awareness—especially for men, who may ignore symptoms or delay medical care because of fear or embarrassment. He uses every opportunity to share his story, hoping it will encourage others to pay attention to their health and speak up when something feels wrong.

His advocacy comes at a critical time: According to the American Cancer Society, about 2,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. men this year. While far fewer than women, men face a higher risk of late diagnosis because they often do not consider themselves at risk. Green’s voice cuts through silence and stigma.

His advocacy comes at a critical time: According to the American Cancer Society, about 2,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. men this year. While far fewer than women, men face a higher risk of late diagnosis because they often do not consider themselves at risk. Green’s voice cuts through silence and stigma.

For Dennis, the news was both devastating and galvanizing. Like many women—especially Black women—her diagnosis came with harsh realities. Statistics show that while Black women are less likely than white women to be diagnosed with breast cancer, they are significantly more likely to die from it due to later detection, more aggressive tumor types, and systemic barriers in healthcare access. Dennis suddenly found herself confronting not just her own health, but a much bigger race: the race to save lives through education and early detection.

“I thought I was invincible,” Dennis recalls. “As an athlete, you think about your body in terms of performance, but not always in terms of long-term health. That diagnosis changed everything.”

Dennis credits her early diagnosis, her medical team, and her faith for helping her overcome the disease—and has now transformed her personal battle into a public mission. Today, she dedicates her time to speaking with young Black female athletes about the importance of paying attention to their health, knowing their family history, and not ignoring early warning signs.

She stresses routine self-exams and regular doctor visits—topics that too often get lost in the high-intensity world of athletics, where players may prioritize performance over preventive care.

“We train to be the best, but sometimes we ignore the small things. A little pain, a lump, fatigue—we brush it off. I tell these young women: don’t ignore it. Your health is bigger than the game.”

For Dennis, the track has always been about more than competition; it’s been about passing the baton. Today, that baton carries the weight of her lived experience and her hope for a healthier generation of athletes who will not only run their races but also take charge of their well-being.

“I tell them: being strong isn’t just about crossing the finish line. It’s about knowing when to stop, when to check in with yourself, and when to put your health first. Because if you don’t, the race could end before you’re ready.”

In the end, Donna Dennis’ greatest victory may not be measured in medals or times, but in the lives she inspires to take that all-important first step—early detection.

When Donna Dennis lined up on the track in her prime, she carried the determination and speed that made her one of the most promising Black athletes of her generation. A former track and field standout and Olympic alternate, Dennis was no stranger to discipline, sacrifice, and the will to push her body past limits. But in 2017, she faced a challenge that no training could prepare her for: a breast cancer diagnosis.

For Dennis, the news was both devastating and galvanizing. Like many women—especially Black women—her diagnosis came with harsh realities. Statistics show that while Black women are less likely than white women to be diagnosed with breast cancer, they are significantly more likely to die from it due to later detection, more aggressive tumor types, and systemic barriers in healthcare access. Dennis suddenly found herself confronting not just her own health, but a much bigger race: the race to save lives through education and early detection.

“I thought I was invincible,” Dennis recalls. “As an athlete, you think about your body in terms of performance, but not always in terms of long-term health. That diagnosis changed everything.”

Dennis credits her early diagnosis, her medical team, and her faith for helping her overcome the disease—and has now transformed her personal battle into a public mission. Today, she dedicates her time to speaking with young Black female athletes about the importance of paying attention to their health, knowing their family history, and not ignoring early warning signs.

She stresses routine self-exams and regular doctor visits—topics that too often get lost in the high-intensity world of athletics, where players may prioritize performance over preventive care.

“We train to be the best, but sometimes we ignore the small things. A little pain, a lump, fatigue—we brush it off. I tell these young women: don’t ignore it. Your health is bigger than the game.”

For Dennis, the track has always been about more than competition; it’s been about passing the baton. Today, that baton carries the weight of her lived experience and her hope for a healthier generation of athletes who will not only run their races but also take charge of their well-being.

“I tell them: being strong isn’t just about crossing the finish line. It’s about knowing when to stop, when to check in with yourself, and when to put your health first. Because if you don’t, the race could end before you’re ready.”

In the end, Donna Dennis’ greatest victory may not be measured in medals or times, but in the lives she inspires to take that all-important first step—early detection.