DATE: 5/17/06

CONTACT: Marian Robinson, (864) 226-1581

WRITER: Diane Palmer, (864) 656-4741

Clemson Extension health specialist to receive award at governor’s mansion

CLEMSON – Clemson Extension Community Health Specialist Marian Robinson is part of a team invited to the Governor’s Mansion May 18 to receive a Healthy S.C. Challenge Community Award.

Awards will be presented to groups and organizations who have worked to improve the health of their communities.

This is part of Governor Mark Sanford and First Lady Jenny Sanford’s Healthy S.C. Challenge program in an effort to encourage South Carolinians to place more emphasis on improving their health.

Robinson is being honored because of her work with The Black Men’s Health Initiative’s B.A.P. (Brothers Against Prostate Cancer) Caps program. Her teammates Katora Campbell and George Sloan will also receive the award.

The B.A.P. Caps project was facilitated through barbershops in counties with the highest prevalence of prostate cancer for African-American men.

The project featured a baseball cap with an ethnic “B.A.P” logo and the distribution of educational materials on prostate, healthy eating, and cancer among African-Americans. Barbers who had been trained in the program distributed the caps and educational materials to patrons ages 40 and older.

Each barber discussed prostate risks with their patrons and gave away a free cap and set of materials, if the men agreed to wear the cap and read the information.

Robinson also coordinates the annual “Golfing for a Cure” golf tournament that helps raise funds for women who can’t afford breast cancer screening services. She is involved with many other health initiatives such as: Faith and Health Network; Upstate Minority Health Coalition; S.C. Cancer Alliance; Intercultural Cancer Council; Consumer Advocate in Research and Related Activities; as well as many others.

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