Prostate cancer is one of those “below the belt” health issues that men rarely talk about. For most, the topic raises feelings of discomfort, anxiety and even shame. But for me, it’s something I grew up discussing with my mother because of the toll it had taken on my family. Prostate cancer claimed the lives of four of my uncles.

My mother constantly reminded me and my brothers to be extra vigilant, because she worried our family history would have an impact on our health. I took this warning to heart and always asked for a prostate exam during my annual physicals. But despite my preparations, I still felt unprepared for the diagnosis I received in 2006: I had prostate cancer. Fast-forward 10 years later, and my younger brother received a prostate cancer diagnosis too. Our family history clearly played a large role in our diagnoses, but that wasn’t all. Our race was also a key factor.

African-American men suffer the nation’s largest prostate cancer burden. According to the American Cancer Society:

•Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in African-American men, with an estimated 29,530 new cases diagnosed in 2016

•The average annual incidence rate for African-American men is 70 percent higher than the rate in white men

•About 1 in 6 African-American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, compared to 1 in 8 white men

These statistics hit very close to home. My brother and I are fortunate that our doctors caught our prostate cancer early, and that we both responded well to treatment. But I didn’t want to put this experience completely behind me. I wanted to share this knowledge with others in the African-American community who may not understand their heightened risk for the disease.

In 2016, I began a nationwide tour with Bayer’s Men Who Speak Up program to encourage men to talk about advanced prostate cancer, as the disease can have more serious consequences and become fatal as it progresses. I’ve traveled to 17 local educational events in the past year, including the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Health and Wellness Luncheon and Prostate Health Education Network’s Annual African-American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit. Together with community advocates, we encourage men to speak up about the disease and any symptoms—such as fatigue, difficulty walking or sleeping, unexplained pain, or difficulty doing normal activities—that may indicate the disease is getting worse.

I will never forget how difficult it was to talk about my prostate cancer diagnosis, even though I had been vocal about my health for years. I use Men Who Speak Up as a platform to remind men that staying silent about prostate cancer is too costly—especially for our African-American community.

The Cancer Support Community (CSC) is also encouraging men to speak up about prostate cancer through its Cancer Experience Registry, a unique online community that allows people facing cancer to share their experiences, identify the issues that impact their lives, access resources and learn from each other. The CSC wants to ensure that men of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds who are living with prostate cancer – especially African-American men – are represented in the registry. The service is free, confidential and open to anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer or provides care for a cancer patient. To join the Registry, site visitors can fill out a simple registration form and then a more detailed questionnaire. Answers will be used to improve care for people with cancer and their caregivers and to develop better programs and services for the cancer community.

Prostate cancer has touched so many around me: my uncles, my brother, and new friends I’ve made during my tour around the country. Each story we share is a reminder that the more we build this conversation, the more we can tear down walls of machismo that often prevent men from speaking up. Will you join us?

Ken Griffey Sr. is a three-time baseball All-Star and a prostate cancer survivor. He was drafted by the Reds in 1969 and played for Two World Series Championship teams, was named the Pinch Hitter of the Year in 1987, and has been inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. After losing four uncles to the cancer, he chose to make regular prostate exams a priority, which helped his doctor catch his cancer early. For the last year, Griffey Sr. has been a spokesman for Bayer’s Men Who Speak Up movement, which encourages men with advanced prostate cancer to know the symptoms of progressing disease and feel more comfortable speaking up.

Ken Griffey Sr.

Writing since May 2017 · 1 story contributed