Prostate Cancer Awareness

WHEREAS, prostate cancer is a disease that disproportionately affects African-American males, with incidence rates 1.6 times higher than non-African-American males; and

WHEREAS, prostate cancer is a disease that disproportionately affects all men with a family history of this disease (particularly brother and/or father) and as they advance in age; and

WHEREAS, African-American males die from prostate cancer at a rate 2.5 times higher than White males; and

WHEREAS, prostate cancer is detected in African-American males, on average, at a younger age than White males; and

WHEREAS, race, age and family history present a triple risk for older African Americans; and

WHEREAS, early detection and treatment of prostate cancer can prevent deaths and metastatic spread of prostate cancer in the body and related pain and suffering; and

WHEREAS, early detection and treatment of prostate cancer can save lives; and

WHEREAS, the National Medical Association, representing over 50,000 African-American physicians, recommends that males at high risk of lethal prostate cancer to be screened, beginning at the age of 40; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that African-American men become better informed about prostate cancer and health care options in screening, diagnosis and treatment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP reaffirms its previous resolutions on Prostate Cancer from 1997; and 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that African-American males are urged to talk to their physicians and seek screening for prostate cancer, beginning at the age of 40.