Sometimes, Sharing Important Health Information Starts from Within

It is often said that what you don't know can't hurt you. But not when it comes to your health. It's what you don't know that can bring you down before you can bat an eye. That was the upshot of the Prostate Cancer Awareness Seminar that Gamma Pi's Health Initiatives Committee sponsored for chapter members on Saturday, September 28.

Gamma Pi's Bro. William Battle, an expert in health education, partnered with Health Initiatives, led by Bro. Dr. Quentin Wilson, to organize the seminar through his company Emmanual Health Education. Bro. Battle founded and remains CEO of the company. In a special gesture, the company funded PSA testing vouchers for all 1213Brothers attending  the Saturday session.

In two hours, Brothers received a lifetime's worth of valuable information about prostate health, including cancer, which is one of the biggest killers of Black men.  And the information wasn't plucked from some website off the Internet. The information was professionally presented by a board-certified practicing urologist, Dr. Michael Bivins, from Birmingham, Alabama, along with a recent local prostate cancer survivor, Bro. Euvon Jones, who amplified the medical information with his own personal story of climbing back to health from a Stage IV prostate cancer diagnosis in 2011.

Bro. Battle 

Dr. Bivins did an excellent job of talking in plain language that Brothers could understand. He focused on treatment options with an emphasis on clinical trials and newer methods like immunotherapy, which uses the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. In addition he mentioned robotic surgery, radiation and chemotherapy among a range of options. "It's not that Black men have worse cancers that are driving disparities. It's just that by time we get it, it's at a worse stage," he said. "I can't prevent you from getting cancer. But what we try to prevent is cancer spreading," known scientifically as metastasis.

Bro. Jones used his emotional story to encourage Brothers to play an active role in managing their prostate situations, especially as they age and to keep check on their PSA scores  for signs of trouble. His lesson to the Brothers was that he did not follow the advice he now gives out -- which was almost too late for him. He is blessed to be alive today after a PSA score of 398! "My story is one you don't want to follow even before I was diagnosed." Bro. Jones' point is that he was too busy to regularly visit doctors before his diagnosis because he worked out and felt in good shape and always thought he was well.

Bro. Basileus Fields(r) with
 Bro. Dr. Wilson and Dr. Bivins

Bro. Basileus Eric Fields reminded the Brothers to share the information outside the building after the seminar.  A handful of Brothers who successfully battled prostate cancer took the opportunity to share their experiences.

Brothers asked several interesting questions: Does diet play a role in cancer risk? What is the benefit of being in a clinical trail if you end up getting the placebo? What about the PHI and other newer tests? When does a PSA score become concerning?

About 50 chapter members and guest Omega men attended. Brothers followed the seminar with a catered fellowship luncheon.

Photos by Bro. George DuBose

Bros offered comments, asked questions

Dr. Bivins explains and informs 

Bro. Jones tells his story 

All eyes and ears soaking up the information

The food line was long...

Gamma Pi's Project ENRICH College Prep Program Begins Its First Full Year In-Person Since the Pandemic

As students across the area gear up for the new academic year, Gamma Pi Chapter Project ENRICH is set to resume its college preparatory program with all in-person sessions for the first time since the pandemic. The program will kick off its new year on Saturday, October 12, at 9 a.m. with an opening ceremony at the National Wildlife Visitors Center off Powder Mill Road in Laurel, MD.

Registration is currently open, with parents and students able to sign up online at https://www.projectenrich.org/registration.html. Aside from a $25 registration fee, the program is offered at no cost.

“We’ve put together a robust program that not only addresses academic achievement but also emphasizes personal and professional development,” said Bro. Dr. George R. Montgomery, the newly appointed chairman of Project ENRICH.

Bro. Chairman George Montgomery

The program, which serves high school students from grades 9 through 12, requires participants to remain engaged through their senior year and graduation. To date, 914 students have completed Project ENRICH over its more than 40-year history, with every graduate earning college admission and collectively securing $1.5 million in scholarships. Last year's senior class of four were awarded $377,000 in total scholarships.

Monthly sessions are held on the first or second Saturday at the Wildlife Center, where students participate in workshops, receive guidance on scholarships and financial aid, and hear from program alumni and visiting college representatives. The program also provides expert advice on entrance exams and college applications.

For more information, visit www.projectenrich.org.

In case you missed it, highlights from our Scholarship Banquet held in May can be revisited  online: Scholarship Banquet.