Jessica Stanley expands prostate cancer support through Brave Men

Jessica Stanley, executive director and co-founder of Brave Men, Inc., is leading education, support and early-detection efforts for men facing prostate cancer in Ohio. Her work builds on a mission inspired by her late husband’s stage 4 diagnosis and includes plans for a mobile PSA screening unit.

Why it matters: - Brave Men, Inc. is pushing to make prostate cancer education and screening easier to access for men and families who may otherwise delay care. - Jessica Stanley’s work aims to replace isolation and fear with support, especially as early detection can improve treatment options. - The effort also highlights a broader gap in men’s health awareness that Stanley sees as one of the field’s biggest challenges.

What happened: - Jessica Stanley serves as executive director and co-founder of Brave Men, Inc., a nonprofit focused on changing the conversation around men’s health and prostate cancer awareness. - Stanley co-founded Brave Men in 2020 with her late husband, Dimitrious Stanley, after his stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis shaped the organization’s mission. - She became executive director in 2023 and has overseen the organization’s growth since then. - Stanley was acknowledged by Influential Women in a profile published Oct. 19, 2026. - More information is available through Jessica Stanley’s Influential Women profile.

The details: - Brave Men has expanded programs that provide education, support and resources to men and families affected by prostate cancer. - The organization’s work is centered on the message that no man should face prostate cancer alone. - Stanley oversees Brave Boxes, which provide encouragement and support to men undergoing treatment. - Brave Men is helping develop a mobile PSA screening unit to bring screenings directly into communities. - Stanley serves as the Ohio representative for the Prostate Cancer Coalition. - In that role, she advocates for greater awareness, earlier screening and stronger support for patients. - Stanley’s background includes nearly three decades as an esthetician and entrepreneur, with experience in customer service, relationship building and small business ownership. - She also volunteers with The James Cancer Hospital.

Between the lines: - Stanley’s personal loss appears to be a major driver of Brave Men’s mission, turning family experience into a public health effort. - The focus on mobile screening suggests the organization is trying to remove practical barriers that keep men from getting tested. - Stanley frames her leadership around authenticity, empathy and connection, which fits a community-based model rather than a clinical one. - Her advice to young women in nonprofit work is to stay grounded, find genuine passion and pursue values-driven work.

What’s next: - Brave Men is continuing work on the mobile PSA screening unit. - Stanley is expected to keep building partnerships and expanding community outreach around men’s health. - The organization’s broader goal remains getting men screened earlier and giving families more support during treatment.

The bottom line: - Jessica Stanley is using Brave Men to turn a personal tragedy into a practical support network for prostate cancer awareness, screening and care.