by Renee P. Aldrich, For New Pittsburgh Courier
Not the blustery wind nor the residual dampness from the daylong rain of the previous day could keep away a crowd of more than 50 from engaging in a “Conversation about Health and Your Sense of Self.”
The Jan. 25 event was held at the Spartan Community Center in Hazelwood.
African Americans suffer disproportionately from most chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. But mental illness is at the forefront of the disorders, of which African Americans are impacted in greater numbers than Caucasians.
During the event, a number of people came together to tackle the topic of mental illness. They included the Primary Health Care Service locations in Homewood, the Hill District and Hazelwood, East Liberty Health Center, Hillman Cancer Center and Matilda Theiss Center, to name a few. A panel discussion, moderated by Mario Brown, director of Health Sciences diversity programs at the University of Pittsburgh, featured a conversation with survivors like Rita Gregory (breast cancer), and Greg Tot (prostate cancer). Candace Bey, another panelist, shared her journey through childhood trauma, which led to a mental health diagnosis. Along with Beth Simon of the Hillman Cancer Center, each panelist gave an impassioned story of what they went through, what their fears were in dealing with their disease or diagnosis, and how they progressed through.
They encouraged the audience to face their personal fears, seek screenings, and be proactive in their own health care. Simon gave the audience an overview of indicators of colorectal cancer. She discussed screening guidelines, told audience members what the test consisted of and how important it was to find polyps (abnormal tissue growths) early before they can turn into cancer.
Additionally, there were special presentations on illnesses that don’t often get attention. Jamie Upshaw, of Autism Urban Connections Inc., shared how there are a lack of resources for African American families who had autistic children. She then revealed that her own son’s diagnosis was the impetus behind her push to start her own organization.
“When I was seeking answers, resources and help for my child and our family, and there was none, I knew I couldn’t be the only one, and I didn’t want any other family to go through what we went through, so I started my organization to be that link to resources for other families,” Upshaw said.
Terri Shields, of Jada House International, shared her battle with Lupus and how her denial almost kept her from getting the help she needed, thereby almost causing her death. Shields now is an advocate and strong proponent of understanding autoimmune diseases and managing systems to have a higher quality of life.
Johnnie Geathers, a mental health therapist at Familylinks, gave a stirring presentation about men and mental health. Sharing that the stigma around mental health was bad enough, it even had a deeper connotation for men. He said in his speech, “We need more Black male therapists, counselors, case managers and social workers in general. Men need to see other men in these fields, which can help create a comfort zone and allow them the freedom to seek the help they need.”
An essential highlight of the day was the keynote talk by Steven Evans, M.D., surgical oncologist at the Hillman Cancer Center. Dr. Evans’ talk was not a clinical overview of breast cancer, which is his specialty, nor was it a stream of statistics and pre-packaged information about the disease. Instead, it was a poignant discussion of how to move past the pain of a cancer diagnosis. With transparency and emotion, he talked of the loss of his wife to colorectal cancer. And with biblical references, he showed the audience that above all, it is faith that would carry them through either a diagnosis of their own, or that of a loved one.
“I stopped by today to encourage you and let you know that while a diagnosis of cancer can be and is a defining moment,” you are not to give up, he said. You’re to find your way through the dark moments.
Dr. Evans also talked about families having multiple cancer incidences, sharing that this is not uncommon.
Dr. Evans is known for singing to his patients prior to their surgery. On this day, he decided to conclude his talk by breaking out in song, bringing the audience to their feet.
Representatives from Softer Side Seminars, Jada House International, the Hazelwood Family Center, Center of Life, Autism Urban Connections and Fountain of Life Church collaborated to host the event.
(ABOUT THE TOP PHOTO: JAMIE UPSHAW started Autism Urban Connections Inc., after her son was diagnosed with autism.—Photo by Courier photographer Dayna Delgado)
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