By Shauna Mazenes
Not knowing early means knowing too late.
That's what Rensford De Haan, a 56-year-old Caribbean man and prostate cancer survivor, wants other Black men to hear. He was successfully treated for the disease thanks to UHN's early detection program.
"We're at a disadvantage," says Rensford, who was diagnosed at Stage 2 after getting tested through the program last year. "Men in my community are getting the information too late, and by then, it's an uphill battle."
Statistics show men of African and Caribbean ancestry are 70 per cent more likely to develop prostate cancer and often face a more aggressive form of the disease than other racial groups. They also have less access to testing and treatment due to socioeconomic barriers such as cost, misinformation and lack of awareness — making them twice as likely to die from it.
That's why UHN created PSA Detect and Protect. This pop-up style early detection program travels across the Greater Toronto Area multiple times a year, giving high-risk men in Black communities free prostate cancer testing, and if needed, follow-up treatment.
"The reality is a lot of men don't have a family doctor, some don't have OHIP," says Dr. Neil Fleshner, urologist and clinician investigator at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the Love Chair in Prostate Cancer Prevention Research. "And those who do, don't ask to get tested because they assume they don't need to.
"Bringing the lab to the community breaks downs those barriers and ensures high-risk men who otherwise wouldn't get tested, have access to the care they need."
A PSA test is a first line diagnostic indicator of prostate cancer that checks for proteins called prostate specific antigens in the blood. When caught early, prostate cancer can be successfully prevented and treated.
Since Sept. 2023, the program has administered PSA tests on more than 650 men. Of those, 106 were followed and treated after discovering a high PSA count.
UHN delivers this program in partnership with the Walnut Foundation, a Black men's health and prostate cancer support group. They work together to build relationships with the community and promote screening at their events.
"For years, the Walnut Foundation has been working to educate this vulnerable population about their increased risk for prostate cancer and the importance of early detection," says Anthony Henry, President of the Walnut Foundation.
"Bringing this free program to the community not only removes the barrier of cost — it starts conversations, normalizes earlier testing, and helps men take control of their health."
Those efforts reached Rensford in 2023, who heard about the program through a pastor at his church. While he always knew Black men had an increased risk for prostate cancer, getting screened wasn't always a priority.
It wasn't until Rensford lost four close friends to the disease in his home country of Guyana that he began to worry he might be next.
"I had no signs, no symptoms, nothing," says Rensford. "But neither did they — and I didn't want to take that chance."
He was first tested on Father's Day weekend of 2024, where his PSA levels came back slightly elevated. Since he had no symptoms, doctors chose to monitor him closely.
A few months later, a followup showed an increase in his PSA count. Dr. Fleshner ordered additional testing before a biopsy revealed he had Stage 2 prostate cancer.
He was given three options: medication and surveillance, radiation treatment, or surgery to completely remove his prostate — each with their own pros and cons, as explained by his medical team.
All this came after having a separate form of cancer removed from his abdomen in 2020.
"You can only imagine how I felt," says Rensford. "In less than five years, I was facing another type of cancer, a different kind of surgery."
He went for the surgery.
"I thought it was better to remove it completely than to live with the uncertainty of what five or ten years might bring," says Rensford.
The first month was the hardest, requiring unwavering support from his family, countless ice packs and near-constant pelvic muscle exercises to regain control of his bladder. By the six-week mark, he was moving more freely and ready to return to work.
Now almost a year later, Rensford says he's happy, healthy and 'back on his ride.' He's since returned to cycling, running and enjoying time with his loved ones.
"It was a process, but I want other men to know it was well worth it," he says.
Rensford hopes his story encourages other men to act, especially those in his community.
He says the stigma and shame that surrounds prostate health issues — such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence — often discourage people in his culture from speaking openly, seeking testing, or confronting the realities of the disease and its treatment.
He believes silence and fear are dangerous barriers.
"Some may avoid getting tested just to escape the psychological toll of knowing they have cancer," Rensford adds. "But what about knowing you have cancer — and knowing it's too late?
"That's not a burden I have to carry."
In its two years, PSA Detect and Protect has diagnosed and treated nine men who tested positive for prostate cancer.
Looking forward, the program now has approval to collect PSA samples from patients and put it towards prostate cancer research. Dr. Fleshner says this will help address the issue of under-research in Black communities, contributing to more targeted treatments and a better understanding of who is at risk.
The PSA Detect and Protect project team is also creating a toolkit to encourage other organizations to do the same and will be launching a similar program for the Latino community in coming weeks.
Dr. Fleshner and his team will be visiting Brampton, North York and Woodbridge next.
Click here to get tested at one of the upcoming events.
