Authors hope to stop cancer trend

African Americans are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than any other racial or ethnic group, according to the American Cancer Society. Many times this is due to the lateness in discovering the cancer.\nRev. Charles Williams, president of the Indiana Black Expo, and former IDS columnist Vernon Williams hope to stop this trend in their book, "That Black Men Might Live." The book describes the minister's struggle with prostate cancer at its most advanced stage.\n"I want the book to be an inspiration to men, black men in particular," Charles Williams said.\n"That Black Men Might Live" relates the story of Charles Williams' mistake of playing doctor using over-the-counter medicines to alleviate his minor illness instead of consulting a physician. As a result of this, Charles Williams, who walked four to five miles a day, found out that his minor illness was actually prostate cancer.\nCo-author Vernon Williams said the book should not be only a piece of literature, but that it should be an educational tool to help African-American males make the right decision by going to the doctor on a regular basis.\nCharles Williams emphasizes black men in the book because he said he believes many do not visit the doctor unless something is seriously wrong. Like Charles Williams, most black men aren't diagnosed with prostate cancer until its most advanced stage.\n"Black men try to do it all by themselves," Charles Williams said. "They try not to spend money and they believe that visiting the doctor is an inconvenience."\nCharles Williams said he also is trying to educate black men through his book because African Americans are more susceptible to prostate cancer than other races. According to the American Cancer Society, African Americans develop prostate cancer more than twice as often as whites. Even though African Americans are more susceptible to cancer than whites, only 50 percent of African Americans over the age of 50 have had a prostate screening between 2000 and 2001.\nDr. John Mulcahy, a professor of urology at the IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis said it is very important for African Americans to start screening for prostate cancer at an earlier age than other races.\n"Because blacks have a higher incidence of prostate cancer than other races, they should start screening at age 40," Mulcahy said. \nMulcahy recommended a Digital Rectal Exam or a Prostate Specific Antigen -- a type of blood test.\n"That Black Men Might Live" promotes the importance of community organizations. The Indiana Black Expo, under the leadership of Charles Williams, has held a health fair for 17 years. Charles Williams said he believes the health fair is the most important part of the Black Expo.\n"The health fair has been a joy to me," Charles Williams said.\nThe health fair is very important to Charles Williams because of its importance in saving lives. Out of 400 men tested this July at the health fair, 22 were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Out of the 22 diagnosed, 11 were tested the year before.\nIn addition to believing that health fairs are important, Charles Williams said he believes more community organizations should get involved and provide health screenings because many people do not have health insurance. \n"Community organizations should provide screenings for people without insurance," Charles Williams said. "At Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis, 90 percent of the patients are not insured."\nPre-publication publicity of the book has caused a great deal of feedback. "That Black Men Might Live" doesn't come out until November, but both authors said they have been getting calls across the country about it.\nIn the near future, Vernon Williams said he is going to do a book reading for the National Association of Black Journalists and is going to campaign in 11 Indiana cities to promote the book during the month of September. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.\n"Wives who read the book have told me that they are giving the book as a gift to their husbands," Vernon Williams said. "One wife has told me that she is going to actually sit her husband down and read the book to him out loud"