Presley Ann / Getty Images for Depend Brand
For actor Boris Kodjoe and his family, the motivation has always been there to make health and wellness a priority. Together with his wife Nicole Ari Parker and his siblings Patrick and Nicole, he recently launched a fitness app called KOFIT, which helps people find time to exercise in their busy schedules. Nicole also has a successful line of exercise headbands with her company Gymwrap to help women stop wearing their hair while exercising. Taking care of yourself, be it physically or mentally, has always been at the forefront of the Kodjoe household.
But the passion for motivating others to prioritize it in a similar way, especially men, grew significantly as the station 19 actor watched as people he loved battled prostate cancer.
“It was a personal push for me to get involved because one of my close friends and mentors went through a battle with prostate cancer. So I was very familiar with the difficulties and challenges we men face when we are given this type of diagnosis, ”he tells ESSENCE. “Then I found out that at some point one in eight men in the country will be affected, as well as one in four black people, which is just a very sobering statistic.”
Kodjoe decided to partner with Depend, the brand behind disposable absorbent underwear, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation to generate awareness during National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and after. Depend’s products are used by many men with prostate cancer as urinary incontinence is a common consequence of treating men with the disease.
“Dependent makes so much. They donate up to $ 350,000 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, ”he said. “I also did more research because another friend of mine, Robert Smith, worked with the Prostate Cancer Foundation to bring the Smith Polygenic Risk Test, a test specifically designed to diagnose early-stage disease in black people To recognize men who are again most at risk. So it was a very personal thing. ”
It’s an incredibly personal effort for another reason too. While his close friend and mentor beat prostate cancer, another recently succumbed to the disease. Kodjoe called the loss “devastating” and it was another motivation to highlight the importance of men who take prostate cancer screenings seriously. Men with an average risk of prostate cancer are recommended to start at age 50, while those at higher risk (e.g., based on family history) are recommended to start at age 45.
“Many men are affected. Lots of men in my circle, ”he says. “I want to use my platform to talk about these things because it’s important that we remove the stigma often associated with diseases like prostate cancer that men just refuse to talk about. The problem is that if we don’t talk about it, we won’t get any information. If we don’t educate ourselves, the numbers will just keep increasing. ”
One way people can help is by supporting research and resources like the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Depend’s Stand Strong for Men’s Health initiative. Another is that people are stressing the need for early tests and annual checkups with the men in their lives. He also recommends parents start early to sponsor practices that encourage boys to see doctors of all kinds on a regular basis. If such practices are prioritized now, they will continue to be prioritized later.
“These are some of the things we need to address, especially as black men and men who are considered pillars of strength in our communities,” he says. “Sometimes when we talk about these things and are vulnerable, we are afraid of being seen as weak. We have to overcome that. We need to talk to our healthcare providers, our doctors, and make sure we do the appropriate tests. ”
At a time when the pandemic has focused on the need for better self-care for everyone, the star hopes his efforts will help have the conversations necessary to save lives, especially since prostate cancer in the US is considered more aggressive was classified as Black Man.
“We just have to start talking about these things,” says Kodjoe. “We cannot shy away from these topics and continue this stigmatization because our lives are in danger. Our life is at stake. ”
To learn more about Kodjoe’s partnership with Depend and their work with the Prostate Cancer Foundation, visit the Depend website.
source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/09/22/boris-kodjoe-on-his-personal-mission-to-help-black-men-beat-prostate-cancer/
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