100 Black Men’s annual prostate cancer walk this Saturday
By Anisha F. Coleman
For the St. Louis American
Quincy Boyd’s survival story began in 2001, when he heard of the 100 Black Men of St. Louis’ Prostate Cancer Survivors & Awareness Walk. This annual event takes place again this Saturday morning, Aug. 20, to coincide with the Missouri Black Expo at America’s Center.
African-American men are 60 percent more likely to get prostate cancer than white males, and are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that African-American men begin screening at age 45.
Before the walk, Boyd had never thought twice about cancer. Unbelievably, he had never even been to a hospital, mainly due to his faith in God for all healing.
To register for the walk, participants had to be be screened for prostate cancer. Volunteers conducted blood tests to check the level of prostate-specific antigens, or PSA levels. Approximately ten days after he took the blood tests, Boyd received numerous voicemail messages informing him that his PSA levels were “slightly elevated” and that he should return the call. Boyd continued to avoid hospitals by ignoring the calls.
Then Boyd ran into an angel while working a booth at the Missouri Black Expo. The woman bet Boyd – with cash literally at stake – to take a blood test at the Prostate Cancer Awareness booth. After he took the test, roughly two weeks later, his phone lines were again lighting up with messages.
This time, the stakes were raised considerably. Via voicemail, Boyd was told that his PSA were at “considerably high” levels.
So, Boyd contacted Dr. Arnold Bullock, who practices at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. When Dr. Bullock convinced Boyd to come in to the center immediately for a biopsy, the unimaginable was confirmed. At age 59, Quincy Boyd was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“Dr. Bullock, he’s a heck of a doctor and knows his stuff, but when he read me those results, I still didn’t believe him,” Boyd remembered.
Dr. Bullock said that operation, radiation and chemotherapy were the viable treatment options available to Boyd. With those options foremost on his mind, Boyd went home and waited for an answer from God. As soon as he received confirmation of the choice he was to make, Boyd phoned Dr. Bullock and told him he wanted the operation.
“Doc kept pushing for chemotherapy, and I told him no. He looked at me like I was crazy, but I told him, ‘God didn’t tell me to get chemo, he wanted me to get the operation,'” Boyd recalled.
“This all took place in December. Dr. Bullock, being the kind soul he is, gave me time to enjoy the holidays and set my operation appointment for January 19, 2002.”
A few days after Dr. Bullock scheduled the appointment, he called Boyd to notify him that he did not have medical insurance and suggested he apply for Medicaid. At the welfare office, Boyd was informed that he made too much money to receive Medicaid.
Boyd remained steadfast in believing God was going to make his operation possible. And, indeed, there was a miracle worker in the midst of this storm, who goes by the name of “Ms. Valentine,” a devoted case worker at the welfare office.
“Somehow, she got it worked out for me to have Medicaid, and I know it was nothing but God that made this happen,” Boyd said.
The operation was a success. Three years later, Boyd is a very active and healthy 63-year-old man.
To encourage others to get tested for prostate bancer, Boyd plans to participate in this year’s Prostate Cancer Survivors and Awareness walk on Saturday.
“Getting tested early could make the difference between life and death. If you can, get checked twice a year,” Boyd said.
“Cancer is nothing to play with. It’s very serious. Remember to always have a positive attitude and faith in God, because with him you can beat anything. I’m a living testimony.”
On-site registration for the walk is at 7 a.m., with a warm up at 8 a.m. before the walk officially begins at 9 a.m. Walk participants get free admission to the Missouri Black Expo.
For more information or to register for the walk, call (314) 385-2100 or register at www.prostatecancerwalk.com. For expo information, visit www.missouriblackexpo.com.
