If you’re watching the Hawks play this month, root for the players to not only sink a basket, but also to score an assist.
The Hawks have teamed up with the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Emory Healthcare to launch the fourth annual Black History Month Assist Challenge, in which the team’s foundation will donate $250 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation for every assist registered by a player this month.
The challenge also aims to raise awareness of prostate cancer inequities in Black men. One in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, and Black men are about 75% more likely to develop prostate cancer than non-Hispanic white men.
This year’s challenge tips off tonight against the Phoenix Suns.
“We look forward to continuing this impactful and important campaign with PCF this season,” said David Lee, executive director of the Atlanta Hawks Foundation. “Alongside PCF and Emory Healthcare, we are looking forward to increasing awareness as well as providing additional support in order to battle this disease that affects so many men, especially Black men.”
Since the challenge began in 2019, the Hawks have helped PCF raise more than $503,000 to support lifesaving research, in addition to informing men of resources for prostate cancer screening, risk reduction and treatment, including local resources at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. Last year’s event raised $185,000.
Black History Month 2022 from AJC
The AJC’s Black History Month series in February focused on the role of health and wellness in the Black community. In addition to the traditional stories that we do on African American pioneers, these pieces appeared in our Living and A sections every day during the month. You can also go to ajc.com/news/martin-luther-king-jr/ for more subscriber exclusives on the African American people, places and organizations that have changed the world.
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