Closing gaps in prostate care

For nearly two decades, The Walnut Foundation has worked at the front lines of prostate cancer awareness, advocacy, and support within Black, African, and Caribbean (BAC) communities. Since its founding in 2007 by Dr. Isaac, the organization has grown into a vital lifeline, supporting survivors, educating families, and addressing persistent inequities in access to care.

At the heart of its mission is a clear mandate: to foster awareness, advocate for equitable healthcare access, and support the next generation of Black medical professionals. That mission shows up in monthly support meetings, mobile PSA testing clinics, an annual men’s health conference, and a Black History Month symposium that centers both education and community.

The Foundation’s 12^th Annual “Walk the Path” Walkathon, scheduled for Saturday, June 6^th in Brampton, builds on that momentum. A recent outreach letter, circulated on May 24^th, 2026, underscores both urgency and resolve, calling on supporters to confront ongoing disparities in men’s health outcomes.

In an interview with the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, Foundation President Anthony Henry pointed to one of the organization’s most impactful initiatives: pop-up screening clinics across the Greater Toronto Area. Delivered in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital, these clinics provide accessible entry points into the healthcare system, particularly for men without family doctors.

“These clinics are often the first-time men discover underlying conditions like hypertension or diabetes,” Henry explained. “When PSA levels are elevated, there is follow-up. That continuity matters.”

Henry’s advocacy is deeply personal. His father died of prostate cancer at 68. Today, four additional family members are living with the disease. That lived experience drives his urgency, and shapes the Foundation’s approach, which blends clinical access with emotional support.

“I am reaching out to you personally, to request your support for our work, to improve education, support, screening, research and endowments to help support the next generation of Black medical students,” Henry wrote in the letter.

Beyond direct services, the Foundation is investing in long-term change. Endowments with Toronto Metropolitan University’s medical school and the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine aim to increase representation in healthcare, ensuring future practitioners better understand and serve BAC communities.

The upcoming walkathon also highlights leadership and visibility. Dr. Gervan Fearon, President of George Brown College, returns as honourary chair for a second year. Having publicly shared his own prostate cancer journey since his diagnosis in 2012, Fearon has used his platform to challenge stigma and encourage early screening.

Still, the Foundation’s letter does not shy away from systemic concerns. It outlines persistent barriers, including limited government support tied to population size, debates over PSA testing versus MRI access, and inequities in who can obtain timely diagnostics.

The letter also raises a critical question: what happens when community-led solutions are criticized for stepping in where systems fall short?

“What are we to do?” the letter asks. “Continue to ignore the problem while our men die at more than twice the rate of others?”

Equally pressing is the call for representation: more frontline practitioners, specialists, and researchers who reflect the communities they serve. Cultural understanding, the foundation argues, is not optional; it is essential to effective care.

The letter concludes with a clear stance: inaction is not acceptable. “We cannot sit back and allow the status quo to continue while more men die from a disease that is treatable.”

That urgency is matched by ambition. This year’s walkathon has set a fundraising goal of $150,000. In 2025, the Foundation surpassed $100,000, driven by volunteers, sponsors, and community partners across the GTA.

The work ahead is substantial, but so is the momentum. For The Walnut Foundation, the path forward is not just about awareness. It is about access, equity, and survival.