## [Community health takes a village: Screening in the barber’s chair](/stories/community-health-takes-village-screening-barbers-chair "Community health takes a village: Screening in the barber’s chair") [Access to Healthcare](/tags/category/access-healthcare) # Community health takes a village: Screening in the barber’s chair Novartis is working with community partners to bring heart disease and cancer screening, information and support closer to where people are. Oct 13, 2026 A barbershop may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about healthcare, but familiar surroundings and trusted relationships can make it easier for people to ask questions, understand health information and take the next step towards care. In the second film in our *It Takes a Village* series, we meet Dr John Gregory, co-founder of the African American Male Wellness Agency (AAMWA). Gregory explains how bringing health conversations and services into trusted community spaces can help reach people where they already are. ### Where shaving meets screening AAMWA is one of four organizations working with Novartis through its Inclusive Health Accelerator (IHA) model in the US. Launched in 2026, the initiative focuses initially on helping address gaps in breast and prostate cancer care in communities facing barriers to healthcare in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, Houston and Baltimore. var kPlayer = KalturaPlayer_55802022 || KalturaPlayer; var config = { targetId: "kaltura_player_6acdf5515cc2e988774713", provider: { widgetId: "1_1tvtrmcy", partnerId: "2076321", uiConfId: "55802022" }, playback: { autoplay: false, autopause: false, muted: false, loop: false }, sources: { options: {}, startTime: 0 }, disableUserCache: "true", plugins: {}, sources: { options: {}, startTime: 0 }, ui: { showCCButton: false, settings: { showQualityMenu: true, showSpeedMenu: false }, components: { fullscreen: { disableDoubleClick: false } }, uiComponents: [ { presets: ['Playback', 'Live'], area: 'BottomBarRightControls', replaceComponent: 'Fullscreen', get: kPlayer.ui.components.Remove } ] } }; // Check and add plugins only if they exist if (kPlayer.plugins["download"]) { config.plugins.download = { disable: true }; } if (kPlayer.plugins["transcript"]) { config.plugins["playkit-js-transcript"] = { position: "right", // Default: bottom;('left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom') to enable transcript. expandMode: "over", // Default: alongside;('alongside', 'hidden', 'over') expandOnFirstPlay: false, showTime: true, downloadDisabled: false, printDisabled: false, disable: true }; } if (kPlayer.plugins["preventSeek"]) { config.plugins.preventSeek = { preventSeekForward: false, preventSeek: false }; } config.plugins.floating = { disable: true }; if (kPlayer.plugins["navigation"]) { config.plugins.navigation = { position: "right", expandMode: "over", expandOnFirstPlay: false, visible: false }; } if (kPlayer.plugins["hotspots"]) { config.plugins['playkit-js-hotspots'] = { disable: true }; } if (kPlayer.plugins["moderation"]) { config.plugins['playkit-js-moderation'] = { disable: true }; } if (kPlayer.plugins["info"]) { config.plugins['playkit-js-info'] = { disable: true }; } if (kPlayer.plugins["share"]) { config.plugins.share = { disable: true }; } config.ui.uiComponents = []; if (kPlayer.plugins["googleAnalytics"]) { config.plugins.googleTagManager = {}; config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {}; config.plugins.googleTagManager.containerId = 'GTM-57RJQ5'; config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking.custom = []; config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = { preset: { coreEvents: true, UIEvents: false, playlistEvents: false, castEvents: false } }; } // Ensure the global player registry array always exists, regardless of embed type. window.kalturaPlayerVideos = window.kalturaPlayerVideos || []; try { var thumbEmbedPromise = __thumbnailEmbed({config, mediaInfo: {entryId: "1_l8cisigo"}}); // __thumbnailEmbed() returns a Promise that resolves with the player instance // when the user clicks the thumbnail. Use .then() to capture the player directly. thumbEmbedPromise .then(function(player) { window.kalturaPlayerVideos.push(player); // Notify kaltura_datalayer.js that a new player is ready so it can // attach custom event listeners immediately, regardless of when // the user clicked the thumbnail relative to page load. document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('kalturaPlayerReady', { detail: { player: player } })); }) .catch(function(error) { console.error(error); }); } catch (e) { console.error(e.message) } The AAMWA is dedicated to reducing health disparities and combating chronic diseases and works with partners such as Novartis to reach people with information, screening and support. Together, Novartis and AAMWA are supporting community health activities designed to meet people where they are, whether in barbershops or at wider community events. The partnership aims to bring together health information, screening opportunities and support to help people take the next step towards care. By working through trusted community spaces and relationships, AAMWA helps make health information easier to understand and connects people with screening and follow-up support. For Gregory, it means being part of the community, listening to what matters locally and ensuring that people have a voice in the decisions that affect their health. ![Dr. John Gregory, co-founder of the African American Male Wellness Agency (AAMWA)](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2026-10/john-gregory-shaved-by-barber.jpg?itok=AVpLaTGr "Dr. John Gregory, co-founder of the African American Male Wellness Agency (AAMWA)") *“You have to take the conversations to places where people are. People aren’t going to hospitals to get information, but you can take the clinic to the community. A trusted community space makes it easier to talk about health because it’s a familiar space, a familiar conversation and a trusted environment.”* **Dr. John Gregory**, co-founder of the African American Male Wellness Agency (AAMWA) --- *“Meaningful progress in community health depends on bringing together the strengths of communities, health systems, policymakers, healthcare professionals and industry. When we combine clinical expertise with local knowledge and trusted community relationships, we can help create pathways to care that reach people earlier and support solutions designed to be sustainable, scalable and responsive to local needs.”* **Elizabeth McGee**, Global Head of Inclusive Health Accelerators, Community Impact & Partnerships, Novartis ![Elizabeth McGee, Global Head of Inclusive Health Accelerators, Community Impact & Partnerships, Novartis](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2026-10/portrait-of-elizabeth-mcgee.jpg?itok=rkGfalbZ "Elizabeth McGee, Global Head of Inclusive Health Accelerators, Community Impact & Partnerships, Novartis") ### Find out more and stay up to date - [Watch It Takes a Village: from Pulpit to Pew](/stories/community-health-takes-village-from-pulpit-pew "Community health takes a village: from Pulpit to Pew") - [Read more about our Community Health programs that we are expanding from 11 to more than 30 countries by 2030](/stories/working-communities-close-gaps-heart-disease-and-cancer-care "Working with communities to close gaps in heart disease and cancer care") - [Follow Korab Zuka on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/korab-zuka/) - [Follow Liz McGee on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-goldsmith-m-89a008108/) - [Follow the African American Male Wellness Agency on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/aawellness/home/) Did this story inspire you to work with us? Check out our Careers section. [Careers | Novartis](/careers "Careers | Novartis")