| I'm mad at Bob Samuels.
Here I am, rolling through life with my greatest worries being bills
and the Bucs' new coach, and then Samuels comes along and changes the
priorities.
Damn him.
It happened Thursday morning. All I knew was that Samuels was gathering
media members to brainstorm about publicizing something about somebody
named Les Brown. Or something.
Truth be told, I went to the University Club for breakfast, but all I
got was a wake-up call.
Samuels is chairman of the Florida Cancer Education Network and a man
who is recovering from prostate cancer and throat cancer. His goal is to
raise awareness of prostate cancer, particularly among African-American
men.
Why? African-American men have a 50 percent higher risk of being
diagnosed with prostate cancer and are twice as likely to die from the
disease than white men. But they are less likely to be screened.
Did anyone notice that I'm African-American?
If the statistics weren't enough, WFLA-Ch. 8 reporters Rod Carter and
Byron Brown were at the meeting. Rod's grandfather died of prostate
cancer; Byron's father is recovering from prostate cancer.
When it comes to health problems, I generally have my head firmly
planted in the sand, lifting it up occasionally to have a foray with
exercise or a momentary change in diet (no bacon on that double
cheeseburger, please).
Samuels laughed when I told him I was mad, then told me I'm not alone.
Men typically have to be corralled into getting checkups, and their health
doesn't become a concern until absolutely necessary.
Samuels is championing a bill that would establish a Prostate Cancer
Awareness Program within the state Department of Health. It's not a bad
idea when you consider that prostate cancer, a leading killer of men, can
be treated successfully when diagnosed early.
Just ask Yankees manager Joe Torre. Or Hall of Fame quarterback Len
Dawson.
In the interim, the Florida Cancer Education Network will have its
third annual African-American Men's Health Forum at the Hillsborough
Community College Dale Mabry Campus. It's scheduled for Feb. 23 from 7:30
a.m. to 2 p.m.
Les Brown, a renowned motivational speaker and another prostate cancer
survivor, will speak. Screenings will be provided for prostate cancer,
colon cancer, blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.
Last year's event drew 1,156 people. The goal this year is to bring in
2,000. I know I'm going to be one of them |
