Unstoppable Stories S. 2 Ep. 19: Words as Currency: The Marine, the Marketer, & Metastatic Advocate

Host Nathan James sits down with Jake Messier, a former Marine Corps combat correspondent, PR executive, and public affairs specialist whose career has transitioned into urgent healthcare advocacy. Jake opens up about his non-linear journey, which began with dropping out of college after his junior year to find direction in the military. Stationed at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo as a broadcast journalist, Jake fulfilled a promise to his father by earning his sociology degree abroad through the UMGC Asian Division while capturing the diverse lives of service members across 43 countries.

Following his military service, Jake navigated intense corporate environments, working as a CBS news assignment editor during 9/11 before founding the largest non-profit marketing agency in New England, an achievement that landed him in Forbes as a prominent "olderpreneur". However, his path took a drastic turn at age 52 when a routinely dismissed lump under his arm led to a diagnosis of stage 4 metastatic male breast cancer. Now managing an incurable illness, Jake has mobilized his deep marketing expertise to combat toxic masculinity and emasculation within healthcare, building a massive digital community as "The Guy with Stage 4". Tune in to hear how Jake became the first male breast cancer patient appointed to a Susan G. Komen steering committee and why sharing our most vulnerable chapters is the ultimate catalyst for saving lives.

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Host: Nathan James

Guest: Jake Messier, Marine Veteran, Stage 4 Breast Cancer Survivor, UMGC Alumnus

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 Deodorant Checks and Dismissed Symptoms
• 00:43 Introducing Jake Messier
• 01:21 Dropping Out of Traditional College
• 02:26 A Heritage of Seafaring Veterans
• 03:47 Discovering Public Affairs Job 4341
• 04:53 Good Morning Vietnam in Tokyo
• 05:39 Fulfilling Two Promises to Dad
• 06:27 Traveling Across 43 Global Countries
• 08:05 Capturing Every Marine Corps Specialty
• 10:04 The UMGC Asian Division Experience
• 11:43 Applying Sociology to Marketing Demographics
• 12:55 Desk Editing at CBS Affiliate WBZ
• 13:20 Reporting from the Center of 9/11
• 14:05 Navigating Historic New England News Crises
• 15:49 Finding Motivation in Loved Programs
• 18:12 Founding a Niche Marketing Agency
• 19:50 Embracing Humanitarian Uniform Ribbons
• 21:03 Scaling the Business for Social Change
• 22:20 Facing Stage Four Metastatic Diagnosis
• 24:37 Male Breast Cancer Mortality Rates
• 26:07 Finding the Hidden Axillary Lump
• 27:15 Transitioning to the Mammography Ward
• 27:57 Fast and Slow Realities Aloud
• 28:56 Psychological Trauma of Medical Emasculation
• 30:11 The Successful Strategy of Pink Marketing
• 31:07 Toxic Masculinity in Healthcare Settings
• 31:49 Mastectomy Surgeries and Inclusive Devices
• 33:16 Gender Inequalities in Patient Literature
• 34:31 Launching the Guy with Stage 4
• 36:08 Taking the Stairs for Chemo
• 38:25 Disproportionate Funding for Incurable Cases
• 39:08 Rare Disease Structural Disparities
• 41:15 Seated at Susan G. Komen Board
• 43:27 Empowering Men to Speak Bravely