On Wednesday, August 5th, the Los Angeles Rams football team partnered with Novartis to host a prostate health awareness event during their annual training camp. Southern California natives came from far and wide to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles to watch the Rams train, as well as take a free blood test for their prostate health.
Black American men are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with and die from prostate cancer. This simple activation at a sold-out training camp could help close the gap.
For Roland Williams, a former NFL tight end who spent parts of his career with the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams, the invitation to show up and get tested was personal. “They called, I answered, I got tested,” Williams said. “I feel better. I’m taking ownership of my health.”
You’re probably wondering how a simple blood test could screen for something as serious as prostate cancer. Williams acknowledged the common misconception that testing has to be invasive. “People always think it’s the most,” he said, before explaining that the process was quick and painless. “It’s just a quick little blood test. You can’t even tell; [it feels] like a mosquito bite. They got the blood, they drew the blood out, and it was good.”
The blood test Williams received was a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which measures the level of a protein made by the prostate gland using a small sample of blood, as small as a pin prick. Where many football fans may not know their status, Novartis offering this blood test for free could be a game-changer.
Williams “kept it 100” with us on the seriousness of Black people, especially Black men, taking charge of their health. “I’m 50 plus [years old]. I’m an African-American man. I have a father who’s a double amputee diabetic. I have a grandfather who’s a double amputee diabetic.” He explained that when he talked to his father about his health history, his father admitted something that stuck with him: “He didn’t want to know. He didn’t want to check in. He didn’t want to own his health.” That conversation became a turning point for Williams. “I took that lesson,” he said, “and now I’m trying to be proactive, to learn.”
Williams wanted to make sure his message reached younger generations, so he brought his oldest son, Justice Williams, along. “We try to make sure that this stuff does not happen,” he said, pointing to the importance of breaking the cycle of health issues that has run through his family. “Sometimes we put everything else in front of our health,” he added. “We put our family, our siblings, our kids, everything else. But I think there’s value in loving ourselves and taking care of ourselves.”
When asked what message he wanted to leave Black men with specifically, Williams didn’t hesitate. “Please know that you’re valuable and that you’re worthy of being tested,” he said. “You’re worthy of investing in yourself to make sure that we can live the best, the longest, the most functional and the happiest lives that we possibly can.”
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