Description: THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- For thousands of black American men, getting a haircut now means cutting their risk for prostate cancer, too.

That's because a new program -- inspired by a motion picture -- has already enlisted 4,000 barbers nationwide to provide prostate cancer education and screening to minority men.

The 2004 movie Barbershop highlighted a natural neighborhood gathering place for black men. Its implications were picked up immediately by Virgil Simons, a black textile industry executive turned cancer crusader.

"Twelve years ago I was operated on for prostate cancer," Simons said. "The whole process energized me."

He founded what has become The Prostate Net, with its own Web site (www.theprostatenet.com) and toll-free telephone line (888-477-6763). According to Simons, for the past 11 years Prostate Net "has been involved in educating people about the disease and teaching them how to empower themselves."

American black males remain the target popula