Dorchester resident John O’Neil, Nurturing Fathers’ Program Director at the Family Nurturing Center of Massachusetts, will be honored at the Whittier Street Health Center’s 17th annual Men’s Health Summit on Saturday, June 24.

O’Neil is one of eight people who will be honored at the Summit, which is free and open to all. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Whittier Street Health Center, 1290 Tremont St., Roxbury. This year’s theme is Healthier Men: Stronger Families and Stronger Communities. The event will include a keynote speech by Paul Burton, health screenings, a panel discussion on men’s health, workshops and award presentations to eight men’s health champions from diverse backgrounds.

The Men’s Health Summit is an opportunity to illustrate the importance of educating men and their families, and to take control of their health – physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. This year’s health summit aims to actively mobilize men from all walks of life to use the opportunities and resources available to them. This in turn can improve their wellness and that of their families and the surrounding communities.

“Our 17th Annual Men’s Health Summit will help educate everyone, in particular men, on ways they can take charge of their health,” said Frederica M. Williams, President and CEO of the Whittier Street Health Center. “It can be quite challenging to stay healthy in today’s hectic world, and there are many obstacles that men of color face in getting and staying healthy.”

Adult African Americans are 40 percent more likely to die of stroke than the white population in the U.S., 30 percent more likely to die of heart disease, 40 percent more likely to be obese, and 60 percent more likely to be diabetic. Black children in the U.S. are twice as likely to have asthma and 73 percent more likely to be obese than white children in this country.

The Whittier Street Health Center, which provides health services to the region and features an onsite Wellness and Fitness Club, is easily accessible by public transportation and has ample parking, making it convenient as well as affordable for those who live outside the community. The Whittier Street Health Center is housed in a new six-story 78,900-square foot building (it opened in 2012 at its current location) that is across from the city’s police headquarters. Many of its patients visit from Mattapan, Dorchester, Jamaica Plan and the South End, as well as Roxbury, and hail from more than 20 countries.

For more information about the event, or if your organization is interested in participating, call Robert Edwards a 617-989-3028.