The idea for Barbers for Life began in 2016, when ECU Health Edgecombe received a grant to expand prostate cancer awareness among African American men by offering educational materials in local barber shops.
Michele Cherry, the director of the Grants Office, helped establish the Edgecombe County Barbershop Partnership in 2017. A presentation from Dr. Caroline Ames, a urologist with ECU Health, revealed African American men in Edgecombe County were not receiving prostate cancer screenings and thus being diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer, resulting in high mortality; this presentation served as the inspiration for the program. The partnership was also modeled on the evidence-based, research-tested Prostate Health Awareness Project, as noted by the National Cancer Institute.
“Michele and her team focused on reaching men in an environment that was comfortable to them,” said Amy Dixon, manager of marketing and volunteer services at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital. “The barbers at their local barbershops were the best option to get the men to really listen and ask questions.”
The response to the program was impressive.
Seven local barbershops and 11 barbers were involved in the program. In the program’s first quarter of being implemented, barbers educated 193 men on prostate cancer awareness and 44 of those men were screened, with one individual diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The participating barbers expressed an interest in learning more about other men’s health topics, as well as providing information about the Affordable Care Act.
Despite the program’s success, COVID-19 kept people away from public places and the program dissolved. However, said Amy. “It was always the goal to revive the program as we acknowledge the impact the Edgecombe County Barbershop Partnership had on our community.”
Reviving the program
Charmaine Reeder, Community Health Engagement coordinator, said they are working with Kelly Spivey, the coordinator of Community Health Improvement, among others, to “breathe life back into this program, and it’s been a collaboration of both Edgecombe hospital and [ECU Health] Medical Center.”
“I suggested we connect to men through barbershops, and they told me they used to have this program before COVID,” Kelly said. “I met with Michele and she shared her information and ideas. That helped us determine who wanted to be involved again as well as find new connections.”
The program’s goal is to have barbers initiate conversations about healthy lifestyle choices and wellness screenings for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, hypertension, diabetes, mental health and other health concerns. Kelly provides each barbershop with a resource guidebook with information and handouts about mental health, food, housing, substance abuse and health screenings, which men can then look through and select privately.
The team has also designed smocks that say “Barbers for Life,” which Kelly said initiates a conversation.
“People will see those smocks and wonder what Barbers for Life is,” she said. “They’ll start asking questions.”
Charmaine said this program helps Community Health target an audience that doesn’t normally seek out health care.
“Reaching out to men is a tough thing,” Charmaine said. “A lot of men say, ‘just give that information to my wife,’ or they’d rather not know. That’s why events like the Men’s Health Fair, the car show and Barbershop Real Talk are so important. They help us bring awareness and create opportunities to connect with men in spaces where they feel comfortable. Programs like Barbers for Life allow us to build trust and bridge a gap between health care and the community.”
Kelly said the team was eager to expand services into Pitt County, and so far, these new partnerships are successful.
“Recently, we relocated our prostate cancer screenings to the local Walmart and connected with the barbershops there,” Kelly shared. “We had a lot more traffic, at least 20 people who stopped by, and seven who were screened.”
The team also hosted a Lunch and Learn for barbers on Nov. 10, to provide information and tools, and they also plan to host wellness events, like mental health conversations, at the barbershops.
Dwight Flowers, the owner of Kingdom Kutz in Tarboro, North Carolina, was a part of the program when it first launched in 2017. He is thankful this program exists.
“There is nothing worse than being lost and you feel like no one is looking out for you,” he said. “This program says to our community that someone cares.”
Eric Barnes, the owner of Young Vision Barber Lounge in Greenville, is proud to join in on this program.
“This is an important initiative that focuses on men’s health,” Eric said. “A barbershop has always been more than just a place for a haircut; it’s a space where conversations happen, connections are built and trust is formed. By creating awareness and providing resources around these critical issues, the program not only supports the well-being of our customers, but also strengthens the health of our entire community.”
Kelly said that in the future, they would love to expand these services across the system.
“Right now we work with four barbershops in Tarboro and 10 in Greenville,” Kelly said. “We are working to keep things focused to have a big impact. It’s exponential – we help these barbers to have these conversations, and they see so many people in a day. Each man they help then takes that information back to his family and community.”
To learn more about the Barbers for Life program or the men’s health initiative, contact [email protected].