The famed gospel singer Edwin Hawkins will receive honors for his brother, the late Bishop Walter Hawkins during the “A Night of Hope and Inspiration” concert, sponsored by Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). The event features Pastor Desmond Pringle, the noted gospel singer-song writer, at West Angeles Church of God in Christ, 3045 Crenshaw Blvd., Friday, Oct. 18, from 7 to 9 p.m.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America honors Bishop Walter Hawkins for his courageous fight against cancer and his leadership in the faith community for speaking out about the importance of seeking effective medical treatment to battle the disease. Hawkins was treated at CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center in Phoenix before his death in July 2010.
Nikki Potts, a member of the Kurt Carr Singers, who has long been affiliated with the West Angeles church, will join the concert headliner on stage.
“She has a voice and presence that I have been inspired by for 20 years,” said Pastor Pringle, who will sing selections from his new CD release, Fidelity. “She is an incredible vocalist, and I just love her passion and the intensity of her vocals. I am honored that she will join me in performing, ‘Command Your Morning,’ from my CD.”
The Our Journey of Hope program at CTCA, and the Rev. Percy McCray, director of pastoral care at CTCA Midwestern Regional Medical Center in Zion, Ill., are hosting the concert to bring inspiration and hope to the Los Angeles community about how this community outreach program offers the spiritual support needed during a battle with catastrophic illness like cancer.
Celebrities, local pastors and other community leaders will attend the event to honor cancer patients and learn about the community ministry that is helping local churches around the country support their parishioners.
It is the final concert in a three-city concert tour that began in Chicago and Charleston, S.C., in May. For the OJOH concert, the gospel artist assembled a mass choir, expected to include 100 singers from all over California.
“Choirs are one of the greatest aspects of gospel music hands down,” Pastor Pringle said. “The force and the presence of a great gospel choir is a defining element of great gospel music. The gospel choir was definitely a training ground for most of your great singers, from Aretha Franklin to Patti LaBelle. They all got their training in the gospel choir.”
The Our Journey of Hope (OJOH) program provides training for church lay ministries, equipping them with tools and tips for effectively caring for cancer patients and their families. OJOH also provides education about prevention, detection, cancer screenings, resulting in a healthier community. The OJOH program endeavors to serve and inspire every person in need of spiritual support during the battle with cancer, including family members and caregivers. CTCA views faith as a primary component in the healing process.
According to “The Cancer Experience: A National Study of Patients and Caregivers,” a first-of-its-kind study commissioned by CTCA, spiritual support was ranked high in importance among patients and caregivers seeking an “integrated care experience” from the provider, yet less than 20 percent said they received the support in actual experience with treatment.
African-Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival period of any racial/ethnic group in the United States for most cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. According to a new report from ACS, the rate of breast cancer in black women has been slowly rising, as the rate for white women, who have historically had higher rates, has stabilized. White women still had more cases of breast cancer, about 127 cases per 100,000, compared with 118 cases per 100,000 black women. However, black women with breast cancer were more likely to die of it, than white women were, according to the report published on Tuesday, Oct. 1, in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
“The reason the vehicle of gospel was so appealing to achieve church engagement around wellness and cancer concerns is that the audience most impacted by disparities in treatment is the African-American community,” said Rev. McCray. “The latest reports strongly tell us that African-Americans are the most impacted by breast and prostate cancer. Looking strategically to what would be best medium to reach that audience, it is through music, and because OJOH is faith-based, gospel is the platform to gain their attention. People of color are inspired by music. In many cases, they are informed by gospel. The Our Journey of Hope program serves churches around the country.”
