TLDR: Ontario is lowering the colorectal cancer screening age following a major awareness campaign led by the late Bishop Brigante during his battle with cancer.
More than two years after Bishop Brigante publicly began fighting for earlier colorectal cancer screenings, Ontario is officially lowering the eligibility age for publicly funded testing.
Beginning July 1, Ontario residents will be eligible for colorectal cancer screening starting at age 45 instead of 50, while individuals considered higher risk will now qualify beginning at age 40. The province says the move will expand access to more than one million additional Ontarians.
For many in Canada’s hip-hop community, the announcement carries extra emotional weight.
In October 2023, Bishop revealed he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and peritoneal cancer. Rather than retreat from public view, the Toronto rapper, actor and entrepreneur turned his diagnosis into a mission. Throughout his battle, Bishop repeatedly urged younger adults to get checked early, warning that too many people were being diagnosed after symptoms had already escalated.
By early 2024, he launched a petition calling for the screening age to be lowered, arguing that earlier testing could save lives. The campaign quickly gained momentum, collecting over 38K signatures while drawing attention from both the public and provincial politicians. Eventually, the petition was tabled at Queen’s Park.
Bishop passed away on March 30, 2025, at just 46 years old, but his efforts helped keep the conversation surrounding early detection in the spotlight during a period when colorectal cancer diagnoses among younger adults were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Ontario’s announcement comes amid growing concern surrounding rising colorectal cancer rates in younger demographics across Canada. According to the province, colorectal cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the country, while early detection dramatically improves survival rates.
During his final years, Bishop consistently emphasized that his advocacy was no longer just about himself. Even while enduring chemotherapy and mounting health complications, he focused heavily on awareness, education and pushing for preventative action that could help others avoid the same outcome.
More than a year after his passing, Ontario’s decision stands as a powerful reflection of the awareness Bishop spent his final years trying to create.
Visit the Ontario.ca website for more information about Ontario’s decision to lower the screening age.
Colorectal cancer’s surprising Canadian hero
The conversation surrounding Bishop’s advocacy continues to reach new audiences even after his passing. Earlier this month, CBC re-aired an episode of White Coat, Black Art with CBC Radio’s Dr. Brian Goldman Colorectal Cancer’s Surprising Canadian Hero, which explored Bishop’s battle with Stage 4 colorectal cancer and his push for earlier access to colonoscopies in Canada.
The 26-minute feature originally aired before Bishop’s passing and highlighted the growing rise of colorectal cancer diagnoses among younger Canadians, along with the urgency behind the awareness campaign he fought so hard to build.
Another recent CBC piece helping preserve Bishop’s story is a heartfelt interview they did with his son Carlito, also known as Lito. In the conversation, Lito reflects on his father’s legacy, the impact of his advocacy work, and the emotional weight of losing someone who meant so much to Toronto hip-hop and beyond.
You can watch the interview below:
