What happens when the person you've always seen as unstoppable suddenly isn't? When Antonio Dionizio's father — a Portuguese immigrant, army veteran, former police officer in Portugal, and construction worker who'd never slowed down a day in his life — was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer at 63, Antonio, who was in his twenties at the time, was completely unprepared for the journey that was about to unfold.
In this episode of the YMyHealth Podcast recorded LIVE at Fight CRC's 2026 Call on Congress in Washington, DC, co-host Julie Woon talks with Antonio Dionizio, Co-Founder and Vice President of Champions for Colorectal Cancer. He opens up about the guilt of not doing more as a caregiver and being the youngest child in his family, the silence that surrounded his family's fear, how his caregiving journey changed his own approach to health, and how a conversation with a former colleague during COVID sparked his co-founding of the nonprofit organization, Champions for Colorectal Cancer that has since helped catch colorectal cancer early in people under age 50 who might never have thought to get checked out and screened. His father, who is now a 20+ year colorectal cancer survivor, drives Antonio's advocacy efforts to spread colorectal cancer awareness (especially to millennials and Gen Z) and to destigmatize talking about our bodies and bathroom habits.
If you've ever been a caregiver, loved one, or simply someone who keeps putting off that screening — this one's for you!
🎧Tune in now and share this episode with your friends and family members!!
Highlights:
- (00:00) Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
- (01:03) Antonio's Father's Diagnosis in 2003
- (02:49) Family's View of Antonio’s Father Before Diagnosis
- (04:07) Antonio’s Father's Background and Resilience
- (05:58) Hardest Part of the Cancer Journey
- (06:45) Lack of Resources and Knowledge in 2003
- (07:39) Feeling Prepared for Caregiving Role
- (08:36) Misunderstandings About Caregiving
- (10:00) Support Systems and Community Involvement
- (11:22) Communication and Emotional Support
- (13:11) Balancing Personal and Family Emotions
- (14:38) Supporting Others and Community Engagement
- (16:50) Do's and Don'ts of Supporting a Cancer Patient
- (18:43) Variability of Cancer Journeys and Personal Stories
- (21:14) Impact of Consistency and Long-term Support
- (22:58) Support from Friends and Family
- (24:21) Personal Health and Self-Advocacy
- (27:55) Founding Champions for Colorectal Cancer
- (29:18) Raising Awareness and Education Efforts
- (30:58) Building a Community and Personal Motivation
- (33:00) Destigmatizing Conversations About Bowel Health
- (34:51) Impact of Awareness Campaigns and Personal Stories
- (38:21) The Role of Food and Lifestyle in Prevention
- (43:52) Future Goals and Advocacy Strategies
- (45:02) Closing Remarks and Resources
Links:Are you a millennial interested in learning more about healthcare issues specifically related to your generation? Start here:
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https://www.instagram.com/ymyhealth_/
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Learn more about this episode's guest, Antonio Dionizio here:
https://www.championsforcrc.com/aboutus and follow Champions for Colorectal Cancer
@championsforcrc on
Instagram,
LinkedIn, and
Facebook.
Learn about YMyHealth's Podcast Co-Host and Content Marketing Strategist, Julie Woon, here:
https://www.ymyhealth.com/team/julie-woonThanks again to our sponsor, Dr. Sarah Diekman, Director of Diekman Dysautonomia! If you’d like to learn more about our sponsor and her practice that provides care to patients with POTS and Long COVID, go to
https://dysautonomiaexpert.com