... with panel on “Educating and Mobilizing African American Communities in the Fight Against Prostate Cancer” 

NBA Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill speaks out with Leaders and Patients


September 14, 2002

PHEN continued the momentum of its 18th Annual Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit with session II addressing education and mobilization of African American communities in the fight against prostate cancer. The session brought together leaders and patients to address continuing efforts to educate, mobilize, support and empower communities towards eliminating the prostate cancer racial disparity.


In 2021, PHEN launched its “ Prostate Cancer Disparity Rally,” as a national effort to raise awareness and mobilize support in the fight against prostate cancer within African American communities.


“We know that there must be a ground game at the grassroots level to make progress towards eliminating the prostate cancer disparity, “said Thomas A. Farrington, president and founder, PHEN. “Last year we launched PHEN’s prostate cancer disparity rally to educate and mobilize communities and we have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and participation with this effort every place that we have taken it.”


Adrian Backus, JD, MDiv, PHEN’s Director of Church Partnerships and Outreach, moderated the session and provided an overview of the prostate cancer disparity rally’s objectives:

• To provide prostate cancer public awareness and education with a focus on patients, caregivers and men at high risk within Black communities.



• To introduce PHEN innovative educational tools (PHENPath.com and PHENPSA.com) to assist patients and families in managing early detection and disease care.



• To educate and mobilize local leaders and patients to collaborate to continue the efforts initiated by the disparity rally.

Backus then played pre-recorded video messages that included Grant Hill, NBA Hall of Fame Player and Atlanta Hawks Executive. “Hello this is Grant Hill with the Atlanta Hawks, letting you know that prostate cancer is a crisis among black men.” Hill is one of PHEN’s 72 Disparity Rally participants, which ranges from celebrities to clergy to medical professionals and survivors. Each have recorded prostate cancer awareness messages which are promoted via radio and social media. “We must raise knowledge and awareness about the benefit of prostate cancer early detection and mobilize action to eliminate this crisis.”

Watch the Disparity Rally in Action

Panelists, which included disparity rally participants, had a lively discussion. They addressed key challenges towards eliminating the African American prostate cancer disparity and recapped their individual actions to help mobilize communities into action across the country.

Watch the Panel Session Here