When Deon Harris was just 38 years old, a routine medical exam changed the course of his life.
Diagnosed with prostate cancer, the Indianapolis law enforcement officer faced not only the physical toll of the disease and surgery, but also the mental weight of navigating recovery without a network of support.
“I didn’t have a network of men to talk to about what I was dealing with mentally and physically,” Harris recalled. “It was affecting my job performance. And so, once I started hearing about other guys on the department having prostate cancer, I decided I wanted to have some conversations about some things that I was dealing with.”
From those conversations came Blue vs. Blue, an organization that began as a support group for law enforcement officers facing prostate cancer. The “blue” in the name represents both law enforcement and the awareness color for prostate cancer.
Over time, the mission expanded.
“I realized that it was broader than just law enforcement, and it was affecting a lot of men. So now it’s just public safety winning the battle against prostate cancer,” Harris said. “We’re bringing awareness out to the communities and to law enforcement, fire departments, the military and just helping people and pushing men to go get tested. Our slogan is ‘early detection is the key.’”
This September, Blue vs. Blue will host its annual Awareness Gala in Indianapolis, an event aimed at education, fundraising and building community around the issue.
Education and testimony
Attendees can expect a mix of medical expertise and personal storytelling.
“We’re planning to have a couple of expert doctors there to educate people on the health part about prostate cancer, but then we also wanna have the testimonials of men who have been affected with prostate cancer and how early detection saved their lives,” Harris said.
The organization is also broadening its focus to include caregivers.
“We are realizing that family members who are supporting the men going through this process, they’re being affected as well,” he explained. “We’re looking into also having discussions that are ways to help supporters to deal with the load that they’re dealing with, helping their loved one make it through this journey.”
Fundraising for access
Proceeds from the gala will support Blue vs. Blue’s goal of building a mobile prostate cancer awareness van, which will travel into communities to provide screenings and resources.
“Prostate cancer is a silent killer,” Harris said. “I feel that if we continue to push this movement and allow men to see what’s going on with this deadly disease, and we’re constantly showing our presence, telling individuals, ‘This is what we’re here for,’ I think more men will go get tested and hopefully we’ll just continue to save lives.”
How to support
For those unable to attend, contributions can still make a difference.
“They can make a financial contribution to the cause or just be mindful of what … educate themselves about prostate cancer and share this awareness with others,” Harris said.
Donations can be made through bluevsblue.org or the event’s Eventbrite page.
Tickets to the gala are $50 per person, with additional sponsorship levels available through Eventbrite.
A personal mission
The fight against prostate cancer is personal.
“I was 38 years old when I was diagnosed with it,” Harris said. “I was told I was too young, I’m too young, I’m too young. And when they finally gave me a biopsy, my prostate was 80% full of cancer.”
He added that he continues to see how prevalent the disease is.
“Just yesterday I was at the doctor, and the nurse told me there were three guys in the next room and two of them were positive for prostate cancer. And then a friend of mine just called me the other day and told me he was diagnosed with it. I just want this awareness. I just want to get this awareness out and push the men in our communities to go get tested.”
That urgency drives the mission of Blue vs Blue and its awareness gala, which combines education, community support and fundraising to make early detection a reality for more men.
“Early detection is the key,” Harris repeated. “We hope to continue saving lives in the community.”
For more information and to purchase tickets to the gala, visit bluevsblue.org.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
