Darrell Robinson serves his neighbors in Grenada County, Mississippi, on multiple levels: as a member of the county board of supervisors, as a minister and in his daily job as a grave digger.
From the cemetery, he meets with families to pick out burial plots for loved ones. He hears stories about his neighbors, including details about their illnesses and final moments.
“Most of the time, the families affected by cancer have had a long period of suffering,” Robinson said. “Grenada is a small community. A lot of times, we find out when people are sick. Most of the time with Black people, it’s related to cancer.”
As a prostate cancer survivor, Robinson is a vocal advocate for early detection and treatment. Because he was already talking and listening to people in his daily roles, adding a conversation about prostate cancer was easy for him.
