June’s Promise to Keep

This June reminds us of something we cannot afford to forget: the men we love deserve every chance to live long, healthy lives.

Juneteenth. Father's Day. Men's Health Month. Three separate occasions — but they all point to us to the same truth: our fathers, brothers, and sons deserve to be here. 

A Promise Worth Keeping

On June 19, 1865, enslaved men and women in Texas finally learned they were free — two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The promise of freedom had been made, but it hadn't reached them. They had been free in law, but not yet in life. 

I think about that every day in my work at ZERO Prostate Cancer. Right now, a promise is being made to Black men: that early detection saves lives, and that a simple conversation with a doctor can change everything. But too many men aren't receiving this message in time.

Black men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer. Not because the tools to prevent it aren’t available, but because too many men — good men, strong men, busy men — keep putting off appointments.

I've sat with these men. I've heard their stories. And I don't want that to be your story, or the story of someone you care about. That’s why we’re expanding our Blitz The Barriers initiative to increase awareness, support programs, and education in communities with the greatest disparities. We’re also training more volunteers and implementing patient navigation models so those at risk, those living with a diagnosis, and their care partners are better able to access care and treatment.

June is also when we celebrate Father’s Day – a day about presence. It's about the fathers and father figures who show up at the game, at the dinner table, at the moments that matter most. Prostate cancer can quietly steal that presence. But when caught early, it is highly treatable. A conversation. A blood test. That's often all it takes.

The greatest gift a father can give his family isn't something wrapped in a box. It's showing up for years and decades to come.

Finally, June is also when we celebrate Men's Health Month, a time to encourage the men in our lives to get screened, speak up, and take care of themselves. The barbershop. The cookout. The family reunion. These are the places where we take care of each other, where nobody gets left behind. Let's bring our health into those spaces, too.

Ask the men you care about — your father, brother, fraternity brother, fellow veteran, son, cousin, or friend — when they last saw a doctor. Offer to make the appointment together. Remind them that taking care of themselves is one of the most generous things they can do for the people who need them.

If you're a Black man over 40 or any man with a family history of prostate cancer, talk to your doctor about screening. Know your PSA numbers. Show up for yourself the way you show up for everyone else. The people who love you need you around.

Information about free screenings and support resources is available at zerocancer.org.