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September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and Black men must understand the challenges they face when it comes to this disease. The unfortunate reality is that Black men are much more likely to develop and die from prostate cancer than any other men.
According to ZeroCancer.org, a resource center for fighting prostate cancer, one in six Black men will develop prostate cancer in his lifetime—compared to one in eight men overall.
Black men are also 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with—and 2.1 times more likely to die from—prostate cancer than white men. When it comes to preparing to fight the disease, Black men are less likely to be covered by insurance and are less likely to be enrolled in clinical trials.
Many of the prostate cancer disparities among Black men directly correlate with socioeconomic disparities connected to race and status in America. Racial biases in preventive care have created an environment where Black men are less likely to be offered proper testing for early-stage diagnosis as compared to their white counterparts.
A recent study also revealed that Black men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer were less likely than white men to receive any type of treatment for that cancer.
Fortunately, prostate cancer is very treatable when detected early and Civil Rights icon Charles D. Neblett, Ph.D.’s family nonprofit organization, Community Projects, Inc. has created a new initiative to bring awareness to the disease and encourage Black men to get the proper screenings for early detection.
The #BlackProstateCheckChallenge is asking Black prostate cancer survivors and patients to post their journeys using the hashtag @BlackProstateCheckChallenge on their own Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, and Facebook pages. The purpose of the initiative is to open dialogue, overcome stigmas and fears, capture snapshots of experiences, and share information and resources to reveal the complex issues of health equity concerns among Black men.
“Much effort has been put into screening, but not enough effort into Black men currently battling the disease right now. Too many Black men are passing away unnecessarily; thus, this is an urgent issue,” said Charles Neblett. “We want to have a voice in determining the best course of action for ourselves as individuals being treated with equity and in our community by discussing the effects of therapies on our genetics.” Black men, who live in areas where health problems are most prevalent, are the intended targets of this diversity challenge.”
Neblett was recently diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer and has passed the torch to carry on his civil rights legacy in the fight for equity.
“To give a platform to the often-ignored opinions of African American men, we launched this challenge to give them the space to be heard. Right now, we need to pay attention to what Black men as patients care about. We’ve asked doctors and policymakers to pay attention and listen to the relevant social media updates regarding urgent issues right now,” said Neblett’s son and creator of the challenge Kwesi Neblett of Los Angeles.
Kwesi Neblett has also created a #BlackProstateCheckChallenge Panel of community leaders, policymakers, expert doctors, and holistic providers who are dedicated to guiding Black men through the process of prostate cancer treatment. The panel includes Dr. Lisa Cooper, Internal Medicine, MD. Johns Hopkins, Dr. Otis Brawley, Oncologist, MD, Johns Hopkins, Dr. Clayton Yates, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins, and many more.
“We need a space to hear from Black men and families who battle the disease and the inequities,” said Kwesi. “We want to challenge them to elevate their voices to make a difference, as they are the ones who can articulate the issues better. We should hear it from them directly and as authentically as possible.”
SEE ALSO:
Dexter Scott King’s Death Draws Attention To Black Men And Prostate Cancer
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