Exposing African American Men to Information on Prostate Cancer & Clinical Trial Participation
July 25, 2019 – Black Health Matters, the leading integrated health and chronic disease management platform, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the preeminent African American fraternity, will partner to launch Precision Oncology, a prostate cancer and clinical trial education initiative at its 84th Grand Chapter meeting on July 31, 2019, from 10:00am to 12:00pm in room 108B of the Philadelphia Convention Center. This program will be implemented in partnership with the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health. The goal of Precision Oncology is to educate African American men about the prevalence of prostate cancer while providing strategies for managing the disease. There will be a focus on the importance of clinical trial participation as a way to increase therapeutic options that are effective in African American patients. Genentech and Janssen Research & Development, LLC, part of the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and are stakeholders of this educational initiative. This program is free and open to the public.
Prostate cancer can almost be considered an epidemic among black men. They have a 70% greater incidence of[1] prostate cancer and a two-fold greater risk of dying from prostate cancer versus white males. For too long, the collective health of Black men has not been a priority. Black Health Matters and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. are committed to helping African American men live longer and healthier lives through education and advocacy.
Precision Oncology is a Black Health Matters Summit, a change-agent, advancing participatory medicine through the creation of a medical symposium tailored to meet the needs of African American patients, caregivers and gatekeepers interested in building capacity for their community. With expertise derived from years of serving as a definitive resource on health, Black Health Matters will work with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. over the next two years to replicate this program in key markets where the need is the greatest.
Through a series of presentations from experts Precision Oncology will address disparities in access to healthcare, strategies to improve health holistically while increasing health literacy, and decreasing stigma of help-seeking behavior within our community. The confirmed presenters are nationally recognized experts. The presenters include, Dr. Shinta Cheng, Executive Medical Director, Clinical Oncology, Janssen,  Dr.  Gomella, Clinical Director, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health and .Janice Hall Dean, President, National Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Two members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.  will present, Dr. Mark T. Fleming, President, Virginia Oncology Associates and Dr. Dr. Kevin Ahmaad Jenkins, Vice Provost, Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania. The Master of Ceremonies is Dr. Edward R. Scott, II, Kappa Alpha Psi’s Health & Wellness Committee National Chairman. Erin Coleman, Emmy Award winning journalist who currently anchors NBC10’s 5 o’clock evening newscast will moderate the program.
About Black Health Matters
Black Health Matters™, (www.blackhealthmatters.com) is a digital health communications and patient event engagement firm that was founded in 2012. Black Health Matters™ (BHM) is an award-winning, premier web site that empowers thousands each week with information on the management of chronic disease.
About Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is the nation’s leading fraternity, highly regarded for a wide variety of programs implemented annually that benefit African-American men and their communities. Founded in 1911, the college fraternity is now comprised of 700 plus Undergraduate and Alumni Chapters on major campuses and in cities throughout the world and has more than 150,000 members worldwide.
[1] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
