Chadwick Boseman’s wife visits Boston Dana-Farber to raise awareness of colorectal cancer

The wife of late Hollywood star Chadwick Boseman visited Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to raise awareness for the importance of screening for colorectal cancer.

Simone Ledward-Boseman was the keynote speaker at the 5th annual Patient and Family Forum at the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center this weekend. Young-onset colorectal cancer is the diagnosis of colorectal cancer in individuals younger than 50 years old.

Known for playing iconic roles like King T’Challa in “Black Panther” and Jackie Robinson in “42″, Boseman passed away at 43 years old after a private battle with colorectal cancer in 2020.

Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in men under the age of 50 and the second among women of the same age in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. The numbers continue to climb each year and scientists aren’t quite sure why.

“Colorectal cancer is killing young people across the country, and most are vastly underestimating their risk. I’ve seen how this disease moves, and I know now how treatable it is when it’s detected early. My personal advocacy stems from this understanding, and from the disappointment I feel in the lack of awareness in my community,” said Ledward-Boseman in a statement. “We who have this knowledge have an obligation to inform our fellow man. Spreading awareness will save lives.”

“The alarming rise in young-onset colorectal cancer underscores the urgent need for heightened awareness, early detection, and comprehensive research to understand the underlying causes and develop effective prevention and treatment strategies,” said Kimmie Ng, MD, MPH, director of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center and associate chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Dana-Farber. “We are thankful to Simone Ledward-Boseman for bravely sharing her personal experience as a caretaker. Her continued support for awareness-raising efforts honors the incredible legacy of her late husband, Chadwick Boseman.”

According to the American Cancer Society, Black Americans are more than 20% more likely to get the disease and 40% more likely to die from it than most other groups.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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