James Smith is a man of service.

A U.S. Navy veteran, former NFL team security director and longtime law enforcement officer, he’s spent his life protecting others. But in 2019, he faced a battle that he never saw coming: Stage II prostate cancer.

“I was always active; working out, mentoring youth, serving at church,” Smith said. “I never thought cancer would affect me.”

It started with a routine physical in 2018. His prostate-specific antigen levels had risen from 0.0 to 2.5. A year later, they spiked to 8.9. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

“When I got the call, it hit me like a ton of bricks,” he said. “Fear, rage, then calm. My faith carried me.”

Support came from his pastor and his uncle Mike, a fellow survivor. But finding a space that spoke to him as a Black

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