On Monday, June 23, 2025, the BlackDoctor Foundation, in partnership with AstraZeneca’s Accelerate Change Together (ACT) initiative, will present a groundbreaking panel: Community Voices Against Cancer & Lupus. This powerful event is part of the first-ever in-person Choose Healthy Life (CHL) National Conclave, held at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark, NJ — and amplified nationwide by BlackDoctor.org.
This year’s Conclave is themed “Owning Your Health”, a bold statement of agency in a world where health disparities continue to plague under-resourced communities. The event marks a pivotal shift in CHL’s mission to empower individuals with the education, tools, and support they need to advocate for their health and the health of those around them.
In a first-of-its-kind live audience production, the Conclave will bring together more than 150 health navigators, faith-based leaders, and community advocates for a day of storytelling, learning, and shared purpose. A live performance by award-winning gospel artist JJ Hairston will uplift the crowd and set the tone for an emotionally charged and deeply meaningful day.
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At the center of this experience is the Community Voices panel — a conversation that brings lived experience to the forefront of the fight against cancer and lupus. Moderated by a member of the Choose Healthy Life Medical Advisory Board, the panel will feature stories from:
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Kenneth Gifford, who discovered he had prostate cancer after a routine screening at a CHL event
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Donna Thompson, patient advocate with the American Lung Cancer Association
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Shenelle Gabriel (TBD), lupus warrior and advocate
These speakers will share their deeply personal health journeys, reflect on the wisdom they’d give to their younger selves, and offer insight on the power of community, accurate information, and the urgent need for culturally grounded advocacy in Black and Brown communities.
The discussion will not only highlight the pain of diagnosis but also the resilience, strength, and collective determination that drives each advocate to raise awareness and dismantle barriers to care.
Why This Matters
Cancer and lupus continue to disproportionately affect African American communities — and far too often, those affected face misinformation, delayed diagnosis, and lack of support. This panel represents a turning point: a space where community members aren’t just part of the conversation — they are the conversation.
How to Join
Can’t be in Newark? No problem. The entire event will be livestreamed on facebook and available to BlackDoctor.org’s 20 million+ monthly readers and viewers. Our digital audience will have access to key takeaways, resources — including our downloadable e-book — and inspiration from a community that refuses to stay silent.
Whether you’re a caregiver, patient, health advocate, or simply someone who wants to take control of your health journey, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Save the Date:
Monday, June 23, 2025
Metropolitan Baptist Church, 149 Springfield Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103
Streaming on BlackDoctor.org
