At the second session of PHEN’s 2025 Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit, numerous faith-based leaders came together to take part in a panel discussion called What More Can We Do? A Community Perspective. The panelists included:
- Rev. Blane Newberry, Associate Pastor at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church
- Ms. Angelina Brown, Can Cer Vive Ministry, Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago IL
- Rev. George Hardy, Pastor, Mt. Zion AME Church of Oakland Park, FL
- Mr. Keith Parker, Men’s Ministry, Ebenezer AME Church, Ft. Washington, MD
- Mr. Craig Hymon, Men’s Ministry, Reid Temple AME Church, Glenn Dale, MD
- Mr. Clinton Burnside, MPH, Senior Outreach Coordinator, Men Take Ten, Howard University, Washington, DC
- Rev. Patrick O’Connor, Lead Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Jamaica, New York, NY
- Deacon Maurice Bland, Cancer Care Ministry, Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria, VA
Ms. Brown discussed an event at the Trinity United Church of Christ and future plans to enhance prostate cancer awareness throughout the city of Chicago. Trinity Men’s Ministry hosted the Men’s Health Awareness event with a focus on prostate cancer where Dr. Adam Murphy assisted with providing free PSA blood tests, screening 29 men. Going forward, her church will hold men’s prostate health events once or twice per year. Her church plans to involve Congressman Jonathan Jackson who represents Illinois’ 1st congressional district.
“During men’s health month in June, we worked with outside sources, a prostate foundation, [and] we got in touch with Dr. Adam Murphy who is a urologist,” Ms. Brown explained. “Dr. Murphy was gracious enough to set up a free PSA blood screening at church.”
“We have been blessed in the state of Florida and the commonwealth of the Bahamas by PHEN’s movement providing awareness. [We hold] an annual retreat that takes place in Florida where we bring in at least 350 to 400 men together in one spot over the entire state,” said Rev. Hardy. “Our goal is that all 420 [A.M.E.] churches are able to be part of this movement.”
The A.M.E. Church network partnered with PHEN to expand awareness, leading more than 100 churches to sign up to the PHEN portal to advocate on behalf of prostate cancer awareness. Mr. Keith Parker expanded medical education and awareness through Ebenezer’s Men’s Ministry.
Mr. Craig Hymon emphasized the need for open conversations, accountability partners, and grassroots outreach, explaining how more than 40 participants received prostate cancer testing and blood pressure checks due to Howard University’s partnership with Reed Temple A.M.E. Church. Mr. Burnside stressed the importance of boots-on-the-ground education, tailored messaging, and expanding the faith community’s focus on prostate cancer and men’s health.
