When it comes to our health, early detection can be the difference between life and death — especially in the Black community.
Too many of us are being diagnosed late, treated less aggressively, and suffering worse outcomes from preventable and treatable conditions.
Why?
Because of medical mistrust.
Because of lack of access.
Because of systemic racism.
And because of the dangerous myth that we’re “stronger” or somehow less vulnerable to disease.
It’s time to break that myth.
• Black men are more likely to die from prostate cancer than any other group — often because it goes undetected until it’s too late.
• Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer, even though white women are diagnosed more often.
• High blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease hit our community harder — and often go unchecked.
• Colorectal cancer is rising in younger Black adults — but early screening can catch it before it spreads.
Here’s the truth:
A lot of these conditions can be treated. Some can even be prevented. But only if we catch them early.
Too often, we don’t get screened until we’re already sick. And by then, the options are fewer and the outcomes are worse.
We need to shift the narrative.
Getting screened is not weakness. It’s not a waste of time. It’s not just “for old people.”
It’s self-preservation.
It’s power.
It’s love.
Find physicians you trust. Ask questions. Do your research. Get second opinions. Make sure your provider sees you and hears you — not just your symptoms.
We come from a legacy of survival.
But survival also means being proactive, not reactive.
That check-up? It matters.
That blood pressure reading? It matters.
That uncomfortable conversation about your family history? That matters too.
So, let’s stop waiting until it’s too late.
Let’s protect ourselves and each other — with knowledge, with care, and with action.
Early screening saves lives. Let’s make it a part of how we love ourselves.
Written By: Nairobi