Dexter Scott King, the youngest son and third youngster of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, has died, in keeping with an announcement by The King Heart.
The Heart added that King died on Jan. 22 on the age of 62 after a “valiant battle with prostate most cancers.”
“He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at residence with me in Malibu,” stated his spouse, Leah Weber King. “He gave it all the things and battled this horrible illness till the top. As with all of the challenges in his life, he confronted this hurdle with bravery and would possibly.”
“Phrases can not specific the heartbreak I really feel from shedding one other sibling,” stated his sister Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Heart. “I’m praying for power to get by means of this very troublesome time.”
His brother Martin Luther King, III additionally expressed phrases of grief combined with disbelief.
‘‘The sudden shock is devastating,” he stated. “It’s onerous to have the fitting phrases at a second like this. We ask in your prayers presently for the whole King household.”
Born in Atlanta on Jan. 30, 1961, he was named after Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, the place his father served his first pastorate. Dexter King was solely seven years outdated when his father was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis.
Like his father, Dexter King was a Morehouse man and grew up in Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church the place his father and grandfather pastored.
On the time of his dying, Dexter served as each Chairman of The King Heart and President of the King Property. Turning into properly versed in mental property regulation, and its administration and licensing was the results of his dedication to the delegated job and the reminiscence of each his father and mom.
Rev. Al Sharpton stated he was “heartbroken to listen to that Dexter King left us this morning, however I used to be comforted by the data he’s reunited along with his dad and mom and sister.”
Dexter’s mom, Coretta Scott King, died in 2006. His sister Yolanda Denise King died in 2007.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens additionally expressed his condolences to Dexter’s household.
“His profound and unwavering love for his household positioned him as a guardian of his father and mom’s legacies,” the mayor stated of Dexter in a information launch.
Reverend Ronald Galvin, a graduate of Emory College’s Candler Faculty of Theology in Atlanta, and a worldwide activist well-versed in MLK’s message and mission, had his personal prostate most cancers journey – one he fortunately survived.
Galvin shared phrases of recommendation for Black males who’re most vulnerable to endure from prostate most cancers.
“The very first thing is get checked. Brothers, we must be getting common visits to the physician anyway. Don’t put it off. Matter of truth, we’re nonetheless within the wake of a worldwide pandemic the place all people’s well being has been compromised,” stated Galvin.
“Second factor; not less than annually, and when you’ve got a historical past of most cancers or prostate most cancers particularly in your loved ones, perhaps greater than annually, please get your prostate checked,” he added.
Galvin suggests getting your prostate checked two methods. One is thru the PSA which measures your blood stage. The opposite is by way of a digital examination that checks to see if there are any lumps on the precise prostate.
“Brothers all get nervous in regards to the digital examination. It takes three seconds. And three seconds might save your life and save your high quality of life,” shared Galvin whose prostate situation was recognized early.
Galvin additionally shared phrases of encouragement.
“After which third, if you happen to discover that you’re recognized with prostate most cancers, you don’t need to undergo it by your self. Be in solidarity and rally up along with your associate and your loved ones. However there are additionally different brothers and males at massive who’ve finished this, who’ve stunning high quality of lives and who could be broad open to be in neighborhood with you, stroll with you, and speak to you. And I believe that’s an important factor. Discover a neighborhood that may stroll with you.
Apart from pores and skin most cancers, prostate most cancers is the most typical most cancers in American males. The American Most cancers Society’s estimates for prostate most cancers in the USA for 2023 are:
About 288,300 new instances of prostate most cancers
About 34,700 deaths from prostate most cancers
Based on the ACS, about one man in eight (12.5%) can be recognized with prostate most cancers throughout his lifetime. Nonetheless, Prostate Most cancers UK (PCUK), a registered charity in England, stories that one in 4 Black males (25%) will get prostate most cancers of their lifetime.
Based on PCUK, you could be extra prone to get prostate most cancers as a Black man if:
You’re aged 45 or over – and your threat will increase as you become older
Your father or brother has had it
Your mom or sister has had breast most cancers
Prostate most cancers is the second main explanation for most cancers dying in American males, behind solely lung most cancers. About one man in 41 will die of prostate most cancers.
“Prostate most cancers could be a severe illness, however most males recognized with prostate most cancers don’t die from it,” states the ACS web site (www.most cancers.org). “The truth is, greater than 3.1 million males in the USA who’ve been recognized with prostate most cancers at some factors are nonetheless alive right now.”
