Taye Diggs shares advice on early cancer detection after losing parents

Taye Diggs recently underscored the critical importance of early cancer detection, a topic he intimately understands given his personal experiences. The 55-year-old American actor and singer lost both his stepfather, Jeffries Diggs, to colon cancer in 2004, and his mother, Marcia Berry, to various cancers just five years later. As the conversation with PEOPLE magazine unfolded, Diggs emphasized how shocking it was for him when “both my parents passed away a little earlier than expected from different types of cancers.”

Diggs’ mother, who also worked as a performer, professor, and Ph.D. candidate at Missouri University, had initially kept her cancer diagnosis under wraps. She felt off but refused to admit anything out of fear and strength. When the symptoms became too severe for denial, they rushed her to the hospital where doctors finally confirmed she had terminal cancer. Sadly, Marcia was only given a few months left.

Reflecting on his mother’s journey and his own father’s loss, Diggs has since become an advocate for early detection through Cancerguard, a blood-based test that identifies unusual protein markers in adults. This innovative tool complements traditional screenings rather than replacing them. “I had no idea anything like this even existed,” he confessed to choreographer Mandy Moore in 2024. “If they had, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today.”

With his experiences as a testament, Diggs now urges people not to overlook these preventive measures. “Now that we have such amazing tools through companies like Exact Sciences, there’s no excuse for folks to just avoid getting tested,” he emphasized.