Award-winning filmmaker and prostate cancer advocate Landi Maduro joins Reggie Hicks to discuss her documentary, The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer in the African American Community, and how filmmaking became a mission to educate, advocate, and save lives.

Landi shares how the project became personal when her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, why Black men need to know their risk and family history, and why simply feeling healthy is not enough when dealing with a disease that often produces no early symptoms.

The conversation also explores patient self-advocacy, PSA testing, active surveillance, second opinions, genetic testing, disparities in primary care, and the power of using real stories to break through fear and misconceptions.

Landi also introduces her next documentary, The Ties That Bind, which will examine prostate, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers and their disproportionate impact on African American communities.

Topics include:

• The story behind The Silent Killer

• Landi’s father’s cancer journey

• Early detection and PSA screening

• Family history and genetic risk

• Patient self-advocacy

• Prostate cancer disparities among Black men

• Film as a community health tool

• The upcoming documentary The Ties That Bind

To learn more about Landi's next film, The Ties That Bind, and to support her efforts, visit https://www.bluechildentertainment.com/crowdfunding

Learn more about If You Are My Brothers and access additional prostate cancer resources at ifyouaremybrothers.org.

To support our efforts, visit https://ifyouaremybrothers.org/donate

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What happens when prostate cancer advocacy moves from the community into state capitols and the halls of Congress?

In this episode of If You Are My Brothers, Reggie Hicks talks with Ali Manson, Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy at ZERO Prostate Cancer, about the policies that influence whether men are screened early, can afford care, benefit from new treatments, and have access to the discoveries being developed through prostate cancer research.

Ali explains that advocacy isn't simply about raising awareness. Public policy can affect virtually every step of a man's prostate cancer journey—from whether PSA screening is recommended and covered by insurance to whether researchers have the resources to develop tomorrow's treatments. 204

The conversation comes home to Georgia, where advocates have been working to remove out-of-pocket costs for PSA screening. Ali explains why legislation often requires several attempts before becoming law and discusses plans for another effort during the 2027 Georgia legislative session. 204

Reggie and Ali also examine the federal landscape, including screening policy, healthcare access, prostate cancer care for veterans, and the challenges facing federally supported research. Ali explains the unique role of the Department of Defense's Prostate Cancer Research Program, which focuses on high-risk, high-reward research with potential clinical applications. ZERO identifies protecting and restoring PCRP funding as a major advocacy priority. ZERO Cancer

Perhaps most importantly, Ali explains how ordinary people can participate. Sending an advocacy message may take only a few minutes, while sharing a personal story directly with a policymaker can help put a human face on decisions involving screening, care and research. She also invites members of the prostate cancer community to learn more about ZERO's annual Advocacy Summit in Washington.

ZERO Prostate Cancer ZERO Advocacy Center — Take Action ZERO Policy Priorities and Action Alerts Prostate Cancer Research Program — PCRP POPCaP Authorization Act and Veterans' Prostate Cancer Care ZERO360 Patient Support Helpline ZERO Patient Navigation Blitz the Barriers ZERO Prostate Cancer Events — including the Atlanta Empowerment Summit 2027 ZERO Prostate Cancer Advocacy Summit If You Are My Brothers Atlanta Brand Central Bork House Productions

Contact Reggie Hicks: Reggie@ifyouaremybrothers.org

If You Are My Brothers is dedicated to turning prostate cancer awareness into health action through real stories, trusted voices, and community engagement.

Medical disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about screening, diagnosis, and treatment decisions.

What if a prostate cancer diagnosis doesn’t always mean you need immediate treatment?

Veteran medical journalist Howard Wolinsky joins Reggie Hicks to share how a recommendation for surgery led him to ask more questions, seek another opinion, and ultimately choose active surveillance. That decision changed the course of his life—and turned him into what he calls an “accidental advocate” for patient choice, second opinions, and informed decision-making.

In this third installment of our Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Advocacy Series, Howard explains why men with low-risk prostate cancer should understand all of their options before deciding what comes next.

What happens when a prostate cancer diagnosis turns a journalist into an advocate?

In this third installment of our Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Advocacy Series, Reggie Hicks talks with veteran medical journalist and prostate cancer advocate Howard Wolinsky, who has lived with low-risk prostate cancer on active surveillance since 2010.

Howard shares how an initial recommendation for surgery led him to seek a second opinion—and ultimately choose active surveillance. That experience launched an unexpected advocacy journey that would include writing A Patient’s Journey, co-founding Active Surveillance Patients International, educating thousands of men, and becoming what he calls an “accidental advocate.”

In this conversation, Reggie and Howard discuss:

• Why men with low-risk prostate cancer may have more than one option • The difference between active surveillance and “doing nothing” • Why getting a second—and sometimes third—opinion matters • The fear that comes with hearing the word “cancer” • Overtreatment and quality-of-life considerations • The importance of patients having a voice in their care • Prostate biopsies and changing approaches to monitoring • Howard’s mission of “Saving Prostates Daily” • Why advocacy sometimes begins by simply helping one man at a time

Howard’s message is simple: Take a deep breath. Get educated. Ask questions. Understand your options—and make the decision that is right for you.

Learn more about Howard’s work: The Active Surveillor: Saving Prostates Daily TheActiveSurveillor.com

Active Surveillance Patients International ASPatients.org

https://www.medpagetoday.com/hematologyoncology/prostatecancer/63251

https://howardwolinsky.substack.com/

Learn more about If You Are My Brothers, our documentary, podcast, and prostate cancer outreach work: IfYouAreMyBrothers.org

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If You Are My Brothers is dedicated to turning prostate cancer awareness into health action.

Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always discuss your individual diagnosis and treatment options with your healthcare provider.