WASHINGTON (June 11, 2019) – The Howard University Cancer Center will honor Rev. Willie F. Wilson, the longtime pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church in Anacostia, with its “Brother’s Keeper” Award for his leadership and support of the annual Walk2Win 5K prostate cancer community walk.

The Howard alumnus will be honored on June 15 at the first annual Men's Health Conference: From One Brother To Another A Conversation About Our Health, presented by the Cancer Center.

“Washington is No. 1 in the nation in prostate cancer; and it particularly affects African Americans,” Rev. Wilson says. “We began supporting the walk six years ago because it was very important to bring about change, heighten awareness, and raise funds around prostate cancer. The in men in our church are very enthusiastic about  the walk each year.”

Rev. Wilson was born in Newport News, Va. He has led Union Temple Baptist Church for 46 years. Under his leadership, the church is well-known for its commitment to an Afrocentric and socio-political outlook, as well as its spiritual emphasis. He attended Howard University School of Divinity where he earned a masters degree and did his doctoral studies. 

Walk2Win The Fight Against Prostate Cancer (W2W) 5K is a community walk held every June in Washington, DC. Each year the walk raises $5,000 which is used to support the Men Take Ten Program which in addition to education and outreach around prostate cancer,  provides access to free prostate screening for uninsured men and, if needed, diagnostic testing including a biopsy.

 “We have been incredibly grateful for the support that Rev. Wilson and Union Temple have provided not just the Cancer Center, but also the community,” says Dr. Carla Williams, interim director of the Howard University Cancer Center. “If we are going to continue to work to address the health disparities that continue to exist in Wards 7 and 8, we need partners like Rev. Wilson.”

The Howard University Cancer Center provides free prostate and breast cancer screening services to uninsured men and women living in the DC Metropolitan area. For more information contact (202) 806-2878.

The June 15 Men’s Health conference, scheduled June 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature a panel of experts engaging in a conversation with attendees about health issues that face men today and what they can do to overcome them. Men from all ages are encouraged to attend. 

The event will take place June 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Walter E. Lester Auditorium at Howard University Hospital, 2041 Georgia Ave., NW. It is free to public and provides lunch.  The Men’s Health Conference is sponsored by Amerigroup, Bayer and Myriad. Register for the conference here.  For questions or more information, call (202) 806-2878.

Why do we need to fight prostate cancer, especially in greater Washington, DC?

• Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men, regardless of race or ethnicity
• Black men are up to 60% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than men of other races
• Black men are more likely to develop prostate cancer at an earlier age and to have aggressive tumor growth
• 30,000 men die from prostate cancer in the US every year
• The District of Columbia leads the United States in the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer and number of deaths from prostate cancer.

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For media inquiries, contact Sholnn Freeman, Office of University Communications, sholnn.freeman@howard.edu

Photo: Rev. Willie F. Wilson; credit: Justin D. Knight/Howard University

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visitwww.howard.edu.