PETERSBURG, Va. — The city of Petersburg has consistently over the years ranked at or near the bottom in Virginia when it comes to the health of its residents.
Currently, Petersburg ranks 133 out of 133 in the Commonwealth. Among the health issues in the historic and predominantly Black city is cancer.
The mayor of Petersburg, Sam Parham, knows firsthand, the dangers of cancer. In recent years, Parham has been tasked with another job, aside from his mayoral duties, and working in his father’s business.
During the summer of 2023, Parham went for a yearly check-up, where he found that his “Prostate-Specific Antigen” (PSA) number had risen.
The number became a concern for his doctor, and following a biopsy on July 31, he was told that he had cancer.
Parham, who is 47 years old, says he was shocked. “Disbelief because I had no symptoms whatsoever.”
While Parham had options, he didn’t have time. He moved quickly for a complete removal of his prostate.
“I have a daughter that is 13,” Parham said. “I want to be able to see her grow up.”