Project Brotherhood of Chicago, which was recently featured on CNN, was founded by Dr. Pete Thomas, a physician who has created an innovative way to bring health care to the black men he serves.
Because barber shops are a staple in many black communities, Dr. Thomas thought it would be a great idea to bring health care to black male patients at the barber shop. He says that he finds his patients feel safe talking about their medical conditions in that environment. For example, he notices they feel free discussing their blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and concerns about HIV, all diseases which disproportionately affect the black community. "Every Thursday, men come to Chicago's South Side for free haircuts, conversations, classes, medications and, yes, free doctors' visits," said Dr. Thomas.
According to CNN, the life expectancy of African-American men is 8 years less than the national average. For many African-American men, a trip to the doctor is rare because most of the doctors don't look like them, they fear being exploited, and they haven't forgetten about the Tuskegee experiment..
Dr. Pete Thomas states that since Black in America on CNN aired, he has seen an increase in the number of men requesting to join his clinic, but has also seen a decrease in funding because of the economy.
His goal? To continue to work with people who are disenfranchised by the medical community and to save the lives of black men. More information about Project Brotherhood can be found on their website at http://www.projectbrotherhood.net/.
SOURCE: Examiner
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