
James Smith is a man of service.
A U.S. Navy veteran, former NFL team security director and longtime law enforcement officer, heās spent his life protecting others. But in 2019, he faced a battle that he never saw coming: Stage II prostate cancer.
āI was always active; working out, mentoring youth, serving at church,ā Smith said. āI never thought cancer would affect me.ā
It started with a routine physical in 2018. His prostate-specific antigen levels had risen from 0.0 to 2.5. A year later, they spiked to 8.9. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

āWhen I got the call, it hit me like a ton of bricks,ā he said. āFear, rage, then calm. My faith carried me.ā
Support came from his pastor and his uncle Mike, a fellow survivor. But finding a space that spoke to him as a Black man was difficult.
āI didnāt fit in. No one was checking that box for me,ā Smith said. āOur culture doesnāt always allow for vulnerability. We donāt talk about these things.ā
That silence can be deadly. According to the American Cancer Society āCancer Statistics for African American and Black People, 2025,ā Black men have a 67% higher prostate cancer incidence rate compared to White men and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease. The reasons are complex, ranging from genetics to disparities in access to care. But one thing is clear, early detection saves lives.
āScreenings are uncomfortable for a moment, but they give you a lifetime of comfort,ā Smith said. āIf I hadnāt been screened, I wouldnāt be here.ā
Now cancer-free, Smith has turned his experience into advocacy. He co-founded the āBlue vs. Blue Prostate Cancer Awareness Organizationā with fellow officer Deon Harris, who also battled the disease. Their mission is to support first responders and Black men navigating prostate cancer.
āDeonās story was different, but the struggle was the same,ā Smith said. āImagine being on patrol, worried your diaper might leak. Or not drinking water on a hot day because you canāt risk needing a bathroom. Supervisors arenāt trained for that. We needed a space where people understood.ā
Smith uses his platform as a police officer to start conversations ā especially with other Black men.
āWeāre out here saving lives, but we donāt think about our own,ā he said. āMy doctor had to rip the āSā off my chest and show me I was human.ā
Through his personal journey with cancer, he came to learn that prostate cancer ran in his family. Both his grandfather and father had it, but no one talked about it.
āI didnāt know I needed to start screening early,ā he said. āThat silence almost cost me my life.ā
Now, heās breaking that cycle. His younger brother got screened early and was also diagnosed, this time at an early stage.
āHeās cancer-free now because he had the information necessary to be proactive about his health,ā Smith said. āAn informed man makes a better decision.ā
Smithās message is simple but urgent: āStart the conversation. Talk about it like we talk about sports. Early detection is key.ā
While Smithās story centers on prostate cancer, his message applies to all regular cancer screening tests, including colorectal, breast, cervical and lung. The American Cancer Society urges everyone to talk to a doctor about which tests are right for them based on age, family history and other risk factors.
For more information on cancer screening, visit cancer.org/getscreened. You can also take the free American Cancer Society CancerRisk360 assessment (acscancerrisk360.cancer.org) to learn more about what you can do to improve your health and lower your cancer risk.