75% of Arkansas men are overweight. Only 33% have been screened for prostate cancer. And every year, more than 3,600 men in our state die from cancer. It's time to talk about it. Dr. Austin Porter (State Epidemiologist), Rev. Johnnie Smith (Shiloh Baptist Church), and Kelvin Parker (GOAT) join The Faith Network to discuss the silent crisis of men's health—why brothers aren't going to the doctor, and what we can do about it.
Men are dying in silence. Not because help isn't available—but because we're not showing up.
In this episode of The Faith Network Podcast, we're having an honest conversation about the state of men's health in Arkansas. The numbers are sobering: 16% of men in our state don't have a healthcare provider. One in four men won't see a doctor this year. And 75% of Arkansas men are considered overweight.
We sit down with three voices bringing different perspectives to the same urgent issue:
Dr. Austin Porter – State Epidemiologist and Chief Science Officer at the Arkansas Department of Health, and Associate Professor at UAMS College of Public Health – brings the data and the science.
Rev. Johnnie Smith – Senior Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Pine Bluff – speaks to the pastoral and spiritual dimensions of caring for our bodies.
Kelvin Parker – Founder and Executive Director of GOAT (Giving Others Ambition Together) – addresses how we're shaping the next generation of young men in Central Arkansas.
Together, we unpack:
If you're a man listening—or you love one—this episode is for you.