As someone who lost their dad to colon cancer when he was young, I feel for his family. Colon cancer can and does impact younger people, but often times doctors ignore symptoms and the cancer progresses. https://twitter.com/chadwickboseman/status/1299530165463199747

Seriously though. My friend from undergrad's brother passed away this week from colon cancer. He was in his early 30s. Doctors ignored him saying something was wrong and he wasn't diagnosed until his cancer was stage IV

My dad was diagnosed at 39 with stage IV cancer as well. He fought for 7 years and was so lucky to be a part of clinical trials that definitely helped him keep fighting. Why was he screened so young? Family history. But also he pushed his doctors and they listened

I've had 2 colonoscopies already to check for cancer. The first was when I turned 20. Then 25. Next will be when I'm 30. At the first one, they found and removed polyps. The second one, nothing.

But I'm lucky that if cancer comes up, and I'm living as if it will, it'll be caught early and doctors will be able to look at what worked for my dad.

All of this is to say that colon cancer sucks majorly, impacts younger people, and CAN BE CAUGHT EARLY with doctors listening to patients. So, if you notice blood in your stool, talk to your doctor and push for a colonoscopy (even if it's awful).

This celebrity death really hurts. The reason I'm in grad school is so that another child doesn't have to lose their daddy like I did. And to the same disease. And young.

Adding this thread on how Black men are disproportionately dying from colon cancer as compared to white men. https://twitter.com/smileitsjoy/status/1299536512917397504

Chadwick Boseman had the money (assuming) to access the best care possible. What about the Black men struggling to make ends meet? The ones formerly incarcerated and unemployed? The average middle class man working 9-5 to feed his family? What about them!