Long-format piece explores experiences and insights on prostate cancer within the Black community.
Prominent panelists from science, oncology medicine, clergy, nonprofit sector, and professional sports this summer openly talked about their own experiences with prostate cancer, how to increase access to care, and what they can do to have intentional conversations to raise awareness about men’s health, specifically around prostate cancer. This candid conversation about prostate cancer in the Black community was held at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Jerome L. Greene Family Center in New York City, NY, and will be featured in an upcoming educational video.
Entitled “The Unspoken Truth: A Dialogue on Prostate Cancer Among Black Men,” the 45-minute video will be available for ACS internal and external audiences. A premiere is scheduled to take place in late September in Harlem. A trailer and social media-ready video are available now. For more information, contact Katie Schafer or Maribel Vargas.
Shot in a format like HBO’s “The Shop,” the video is being produced by Northwell Health’s Cancer Institute in New Hyde Park, NY, with support from ACS team members including the Northeast Region Marketing team and Katie Schafer, executive director on Long Island.
Panelists included:
- Allan Houston, former NBA basketball player with the New York Knicks
- Rev. Malcolm Byrd, pastor, Mother AME Zion Church in Harlem
- Tony Hillery, founder and CEO, Harlem Grown
- Dr. Lloyd Trotman, scientist and professor, cancer center deputy director of education, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
- Dr. Martin Karpeh, director of Surgical Oncology at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute
“A PSA is a simple blood test,” said Troy Hillery. “We need to break down these barriers because all the money in the world doesn’t matter if you have cancer. We have to talk about it.”
Moderator Mitch Cornet, vice president of Public Health, Community Vaccines and Strategic Partnerships at Northwell, asked the panel how to reach these men.
“The best person to get a brother to get checked out is another brother, from college, a friend,” said Pastor Byrd. “The best witnesses are the people who walk beside us, our close homies. Conversations like this are exceptional.”
