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Jazz 91.9 WCLK | Membership Matters

If You Are My Brothers, a Prostate Cancer Awareness Project for Black Men

Reggie Hicks, founder of If You Are My Brothers an advocacy and awareness project for Black Men who are more likely to die from the disease.
Reggie Hicks, founder of If You Are My Brothers an advocacy and awareness project for Black Men who are more likely to die from the disease.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a time to spread knowledge while also providing support to those affected. It is estimated that about 288,300 men will be newly diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and around 34,700 men will not survive – the most deaths from any cancer in men after lung cancer. WCLK’s own Reggie Hicks, founder of If You Are My Brothers and he is a survivor of the disease. He joins us to speak about his diagnosis and path to health.

I asked Hicks how he came to learn about prostate cancer. He speaks about his organization and podcast, If You Are My Brothers. A good friend of Hicks had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Hicks asked if his friend would let him document the journey. At the same time, Hicks was monitoring his own PSA numbers, which can range from 1.0 - 100. The number tends to go up and down as you age.

Hicks' medical team noticed that while Hicks’ number was low, it was continuously growing larger. His cancer was found in the early stages. He speaks about the fact that there are no symptoms to indicate prostate cancer. You have to know your PSA number.

As with most health challenges in our community, Black men are 17 times more liked to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. We are diagnosed at earlier ages, but still 2.1 times more likely to die from the disease. Hicks, now cancer-free, speaks about his treatment and the recent birth of his grandchild.