How can we ensure that the Black men in our families and communities are taking their health seriously?
Keep an eye on dad, your husband, whoever you’re living with. If they started having symptoms and they’re kind of pushing it aside and it’s been a week, month, you might want to get on them. Those symptoms could be fatigue, maybe their doctor’s telling them that they’re anemic, they’ve had a sudden change in their bowel habits, or they’re having new abdominal pain they never had before. Those are reasons that they need to take themselves to the doctor and have it checked out. It may be nothing, but let the doctor reassure you when you come to the doctor’s [office]. You know there is a C-word that a lot of people are afraid of. People should be afraid of the C-word, meaning cancer, but oftentimes they’re afraid of the C-word colonoscopy. Colonoscopies save lives. We know Black people get colon cancer earlier and they die from it more, but if you get screened, you can get help.
