Part I: How Dr. Wright Found Determination in a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

When Dr. Edward Wright received the call in 2012 that would alter the course of his life, it wasn’t just news; it was a reckoning. His PSA levels, a common screening tool for prostate health,1 had jumped from 1.5 to 5.5 in less than a year. For context, most men without prostate cancer have PSA levels under 4 ng/mL.¹ Numbers like his raised alarms. Then came the words no one ever wants to hear: “We found a small amount of prostate cancer”. 

For many, those words might have sounded like the beginning of the end. But Dr. Wright saw them differently. “Prostate cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he reflected. “It opened the door to my purpose.” What could have been a devastating diagnosis became, instead, the catalyst for the work that would define his next decade.

Prostate cancer, when detected early, is among the most curable cancers, with a 99% survival rate if caught before it spreads.¹ Yet for Black men, the story is often more complicated. Black men are about 70% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from it compared to white men.² The reasons aren’t biological alone—they’re tied to late detection, lack of regular screenings, and deep-rooted inequities in healthcare access.²

Part of what makes prostate cancer so dangerous is that its early symptoms can be vague or absent. According to the CDC, common warning signs include difficulty starting urination, weak or interrupted flow, frequent nighttime urination, trouble emptying the bladder, or pain and burning while urinating.³ Yet Dr. Wright had none of these symptoms. His diagnosis came as a complete surprise, a reminder of why routine screening and PSA testing are so critical, especially for Black men.

Still, the diagnosis forced him into action. He refused to let fear dictate his next steps. He moved quickly, researching options, seeking second opinions, and pursuing treatment. By 2018, after multiple biopsies and tough decisions about care, he completed non-surgical treatment. Today, he proudly stands as a 10-year cancer survivor.

But survival was never the end goal. For Dr. Wright, the journey was about transformation. His lived experience opened his eyes to the stigma and silence surrounding prostate health, especially among Black men. “From people I know, it’s like, ‘man, I’m not going to take that exam. It’s too intrusive”, he said. “I’d rather have that exam and know that I have prostate cancer, or find out I don’t, and live for another 20–25 years.” His words cut to the heart of a cultural barrier that has cost too many their lives: stigma, fear, and silence.

That silence is exactly what Dr. Wright has chosen to break. Out of his diagnosis and recovery came something bigger than himself: The We Can Win Foundation.⁴ Founded in 2021, the organization began with simple but urgent conversations between him and his wife about the need for education and support in Black communities. Those conversations turned into action: the foundation’s very first event, hosted just after the height of COVID, drew 350 virtual attendees eager to learn about prostate health and early detection.

Dr. Wright’s story is deeply personal, but its message is universal: early detection saves lives. His survival is proof of what’s possible when men face their fears, listen to their bodies, and take proactive steps for their health. His pain became his purpose, and his purpose became a platform, one that now carries the power to save lives across Dallas and beyond.