Now we need to get connected and work together to address a serious cause of heart failure called transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, or ATTR-CM.

Many of us may already be aware that when it comes to heart disease in the U.S., Black, African American, and Afro-Caribbean communities are disproportionately affected compared to other racial and ethnic groups.* But did you know about three to four percent of African Americans carry a mutation in the TTR gene (V122I) that makes it more likely that they may develop ATTR-CM, however not all carriers develop the disease. ATTR-CM gets worse over time, which is why early diagnosis and management are so important.

ATTR-CM hides in plain sight. That’s where community and connecting come in.

Getting diagnosed with ATTR-CM can often take years. Some signs of ATTR-CM, like carpal tunnel syndrome, extreme tiredness, and swelling in the lower legs and feet, can mimic other conditions. The signs of ATTR-CM may be difficult to connect with a heart condition. ATTR-CM, as a cause of heart failure can be missed. Family or friends can play an important role in helping you or your doctor determine health issues that you may not notice or talk about. Share all your health information with your doctor so that they can “connect the dots” and make sure health concerns aren’t overlooked.

We are connected by our health histories – sharing health information among relatives is important too. The hereditary type of ATTR-CM is passed down through relatives. If you have relatives with heart-related issues – tell your doctor. If a relative is diagnosed with hereditary ATTR-CM, a doctor may suggest genetic counseling and testing for relatives. Genetic testing can help relatives understand what potential steps to take.

Getting connected with information about ATTR-CM and learning from experts is also key. That’s why The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church is excited to partner with Pfizer and Dr. Carlos Ince on a Voices for the Heart event to increase awareness of ATTR-CM in our community. To register for this important event, click here or scan the QR code below.

Working together, we can raise awareness of hereditary ATTR-CM and help make sure that our community, friends, and family have the information they need to take charge of their health.

*A 7-year study in London, UK found a gene mutation (ATTR V122I) was the cause of heart failure in 211 out of 1392 Afro-Caribbean patients.

For additional resources on hereditary ATTR-CM, including a discussion guide to help conversations with your doctor or share with a loved one, you can visit www.yourheartsmessage.com/don.

Content developed by Pfizer in collaboration with The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church.

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Earnie Shavers was the pure embodiment of the rage, heart, courage and desire that was required of a great in the sport of boxing.

I gave Earnie the only two shots at the heavyweight title he got, first with Muhammad Ali and then with Larry Holmes. He lost both of them, but won the praise and adulation of boxing fans who clamored to see more of him.

He was born in Alabama, but he belonged to Ohio. After he won the Cleveland Golden Gloves in 1968, he was destined to become one of the great heavyweights of all time and one that would be synonymous with Warren, Ohio forever.

Earnie was one of the most pleasant people that I had ever met, a good man with a good heart.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his daughters Tamara, Cynthia, Catherine, Carla, and Amy, Catherine, Lisa, Natasha and Latonya.

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You were just a little girl then and the thought of becoming the greatest tennis player of all time or the GOAT as we refer was probably not on your mind.

During that time, it was your sister Venus who captured the attention of the tennis world as she was on the cusp of turning professional.

I sat there that day and encouraged both your parents to stay the course while pledging my full support for the journey the family would travel.

You always were the fiery one, had the eyes of a tiger. Serena you were a fighter and now that you have decided to turn the page to a new chapter in your life after a glorious tennis career, I want to take this opportunity to wish you, your husband Alexis, your lovely daughter Olympia all of the moments of happiness your heart can endure.

I know a little bit about ‘The GOAT’, having promoted Muhammad Ali all the while crafting an illustrious chunk of history myself.

Reaching this pinnacle took a lot of hard work and sacrifice, namely by Richard and Brandy your parents who took the blows of criticism so that you and Venus would not have to.

So, cheers to you Serena Williams, who like myself don’t care for the word retirement, on to the next great achievement to conquer.

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get up and finish the fight get up and keep going, that’s what really makes a true champion. All

the best had a lost on their record and came back to do even better things. This is not the last

you are going to see of Trevor Bryan. I’m looking to dissect what I did tonight, but I can say that

to the fight plan. The other guy came out fighting and you just can’t stand there and let the

Promoted by King he figures to be in the mix for another and perhaps more significant strap

“I stand behind what I say, I said I was going to steal the show and my focus is at an all-time

high and I’m going to continue to steal the show until I am the headliner. Now, I got a good

team behind me, I got Don King behind me and the sky is the limit,” said Wiggins.

For more than 50 years, King has continued to add to his legacy as being more than a boxing

promoter, but moreover an ‘Indefatigable Advocate for Peace and Women’s Rights’ and with

‘Fight for Freedom and Peace’ for Ukraine, a quest to save all of humanity for the world.

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“The Fight for Freedom and Peace” is dedicated to brave and courageous members of the Ukraine, people of the Ukraine that Russia has decided to invade and declare war because of a bruised ego. Because this really isn’t a war this is a family feud that has turned into a tragedy with homicidal effect,” opined promoter Don King. “Genocide and killing people every day, I just got a call from them last night and they said they again bombed Kyiv because the Klitschko brothers are there and were going to be here to gain further support for their cause for fighting for freedom, independence, peace, sovereignty and prosperity.”

King argued that Dubois and his team have already counted out the American Bryan as odds at major betting sites have opened with the challenger installed as a prohibitive 7-1 favorite to capture the WBA title.

“He’s already counted Trevor out, so we don’t have to worry about that part we can just pass him the belt and we don’t have to go through riga monroe. I don’t know if you are familiar with this Dubois, but Cornwallis was the general (British Gen. Charles Cornwallis) and he was really attacking and knowing down trees and stuff and jumping on George Washington, but when Washington got through Cornwallis surrendered,” said King give the young fighter a brief history lesson. “They have absolutely counted America out, my country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty.”

Dubois introduced himself to America declaring; “I’m ready to rumble, I am out here to make myself, my family and my country proud. This is what I been waiting for and I can’t wait. I know I have to go through Trevor and I take that belt back home on the plane, so let’s go.”

“All throughout the world and nobody knows Trevor and Dubois says I’m destroying Trevor because he did everything that’s anti Dubois and I don’t like it and I am going to demonstrate that to him when I see him,” King quipped before introducing his champion.

“On this side over here is ‘The Dream’, the man has a dream and that’s what America’s all about is a dream. This young man is undefeated and his dream has been to be the world champion, but he was never considered like the guys such as Anthony Joshua, with Tyson Fury and Wilder all the guys that when the big payday would come didn’t consider him, but after this fight you didn’t know who he was before the fight but you damn sure will know who he is after,” boasted King.

Bryant pounced to the podium at the 40 minute confab, oozing confidence and looking as fit as he’s ever been.

“Let me just say a couple of quick things. This is Trevor Bryan, you guys don’t know who Trevor Bryan is? Who I am is WBA heavyweight champion and I’m here to stay. Hello, hello everybody and listen this who I am. You see this face right here, I’m the WBA champion and I am going to be here for a long time” emphatically stated Bryan, lifting his sun glasses from his face, “Again, this fight is called Freedom and Peace, before you have Freedom and Peace you gotta have war and that’s what we gonna have, the guy think that I’m nobody and I’m here for nothing. I’m just 22-0 and I’m nobody and you are going to walk through me right? Not’s not what’s gonna happen, I’m telling you that right now. I hope that you are ready because I’m telling you it’s going to be a hard night for you. I’m Trevor Bryan, The Dream and I am going to be this guy nightmare June 11.”

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Bryan tipped the scale at a whopping 268 pounds at WD Packard Music Hall on January 28, more than he weighed when he captured the title a year ago against Bermane Stiverne in what many described as a heavy slop fest when Bryan came in at 267.6 to Stiverne’s 267.4.

“I see you guys keep asking about my weight. Again, what my title say? My title say heavyweight champion. Heavy weight is anything over what? (200) So, I was over 200, I am a heavyweight champion, ok. So, again with that how much you weigh, I’m a heavyweight,” Bryan protested.

His challenger Jonathan Guidry (17-0-2, 10 KO) of Dulac, Louisiana weighed in at a ready looking 246 1/2 in the biggest fight of his life.

“That’s a good weight, actually I thought I would be a little heavier, but now I can move a little faster,” said Guidry.

He said he figured that Bryan would be at that weight which is why he wanted to be at 250, but is comfortable and feeling great at 246.

“I really feel like I got a big chance. I think we are going to shock the world.”

Bryan, of New York, was miffed about the question of his weight.

“But at the end of the day they are going to see that my figure looks way better than my last fight and it’s going to continue to look better when I get into the next fight with those guys over seas.”

He says that he feels good and strong and is mentally prepared to see his hands raised victorious on Saturday night.

Bryan also gave credit to his strength and conditioning coach Roman Hayes who is responsible for getting his body prepared.

“It’s going to get way better than that. We’ve been working real hard in the gym, good sparring, strength, conditioning, running, weights. Looking great, looking to feel great and going to be great tomorrow.”

Guidry boasts being in the best condition he’s ever been and plans on continuing his diet of salads and fish for the final night before the fight.

Thabiso had to wait for almost an hour for champion Ilunga Makabu join him on the scales for the weigh-in. Both fighters met the qualifications for the 200 pound weight limit, with Thabiso registering 198 ½ and Makabu at 197.

In the battle for NABA Gold Heavyweight championship Egyptian Ahmed Hefny (13-1, 5 KOs) from Egypt via Queens, NY weighed in at a chiseled 216 and his late replacement Dacarree Scott (6-0, 0KO) of Decatur, Georgia tilted at 276 ½.

The NABA Cruiserweight clash featuring Johnnie Langston (9-3, 3 KOs) of Sarasota, FL and Nick Kisner (22-5-1, 6 KOs) of Baltimore, MD has some late drama when Langson need an hour to drop under 200 pound limit and qualified by making weight. Kisner scaled in at 198 ½.

Cleveland’s Michael Moore (18-3, 8 KOs) was the big disappointment by failing to reach the 160 pound weight limit and cannot win NABA Middleweight Championship even if he wins against Anthony Lenk (17-7, 7 KOs) of Niagara Falls, NY. Moore missed weight by four pounds at 164, while Lenk can capture the title if he wins and also received part of Moore’s purse for his deliquency. Lenk weighed 159.

‘Return to Greatness’ is a high stakes affair featuring two world championship fights, including WBC Cruiserweight champion Makabu (28-2) defending his world title against his South African countryman Mchunu (23-5) and an additional four North American Boxing Association (NABA) scuffles that will be available on Donking.com, DKPBoxing.com, Itube247.com and FITE. TV at a value based $49.99 for the live streaming America, $39.99 USD in Canada and the rest of the world $14.99 USD.

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What King or nobody else knew was that Franklin, the 35th Mayor of Warren, now in his 11th year, would present King with a proclamation declaring January 26, 2022 as Don King Day at the Grand Resort ballroom during the final press conference.

“It was actually something that I demanded that Don King Day be placed in the proclamation because I know a lot more about Don King other than his promoting career,” said Mayor Franklin. “His benevolence to the community what he’s done for Ohio so that has always inspired me. So, I made sure that when we were extracting things from his biography, everything jumped out and I said I got make this his day.”

Don King Day is a ceremonial token of Warren’s appreciation for what he has done for the city in the past and what he’s doing for the city today.

Mayor Franklin admitted that he does not make such proclamations often, but because it was such short notice and he did not have the time to present King with the Key to the City.

“That would have been what I would love to do and I might still be able to get that done before he leaves town.”

The mayor is old enough to remember when Don King Training Camp in nearby Orwell was built.

“All of those fighters, world renown fighters were coming to Warren to go to restaurants and some of our clubs. Michael Spinks, Michael Dokes and Roberto Duran, I saw them all out there training. So, (declaring Don King Day) was the right thing to do. It was sort of God inspired.

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As a kidney transplant surgeon and urologist practicing in Cleveland and northeast Ohio for nearly 30 years, with expertise in areas of health disparities and health equity in minority populations, I’ve witnessed how delayed patient office visits can impact care within our community. It is crucial that we continue to work to raise awareness among both physicians and patients on diseases that disproportionately affect communities of color.

That’s why there is one condition I want every heart failure patient to be aware of. It’s called transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, or ATTR-CM. ATTR-CM is a serious and often underdiagnosed cause of heart failure.

ATTR-CM is a progressive disease, in which over time the heart muscle begins to thicken and stiffen. There are two types of ATTR-CM; the wild-type, which is associated with aging, and the hereditary type, which is associated with a gene change (mutation) and can be passed down from a relative. The most common mutation in the United States, known as V122I, is found almost exclusively in African Americans. Approximately 3% to 4% of African Americans are thought to have the V122I mutation, although not all individuals with the V122I mutation develop symptoms of hereditary ATTR-CM.

While heart failure is common among Black/African Americans and associated with Afro-Caribbean communities, hereditary ATTR-CM in these populations is often overlooked by doctors for several reasons. In fact, some patients with ATTR-CM say they visited up to five doctors before receiving an accurate diagnosis.

This is why I am excited to be partnering with Pfizer in Cleveland on Voices for the Heart – a community-based initiative bringing together physicians and trusted local organizations within Black/African American and Afro-Caribbean communities around the country to increase awareness of hereditary ATTR-CM as an often-underdiagnosed cause of heart failure.

Early signs of ATTR-CM can include an irregular heartbeat, fatigue, shortness of breath, carpal tunnel syndrome, swelling in the hands and feet, and numbness and tingling in the hands. Some of these symptoms are not traditionally associated with heart disease, which may contribute to multiple doctor’s appointments and a delayed or incorrect diagnosis.

I’m committed to spreading awareness of hereditary ATTR-CM because I have seen firsthand how a delayed diagnosis can adversely impact a patient (and their loved ones), making it essential to inform our community about this condition – including everyone from patients to caregivers to local healthcare providers.

If you’re experiencing seemingly unrelated signs and symptoms (e.g., irregular heartbeat, fatigue, shortness of breath, or carpal tunnel syndrome), have a family history of cardiac issues, and have been diagnosed with heart failure, talk to your primary care doctor or an experienced cardiologist. Whether they seem related or not, it’s important to share your symptoms and health history. This will allow your doctor to provide the care you need and to make an appropriate diagnosis.

Family members and caregivers also have an important role to play because they sometimes notice or remember health symptoms that the patient may forget or neglect to mention, and help people with hereditary ATTR-CM manage their disease. These caregivers, in many cases, might also be the first person who urges, encourages, or facilitates the initial medical evaluation for the patient.

As part of the Voices for the Heart effort, I will be moderating a virtual event hosted by Entertainment and Medicine on Monday, December 13, 2021, to share educational resources and increase awareness about hereditary ATTR-CM with the Cleveland Community. To register for the event, click

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