While many tuned into “Black Panther” Sunday night to remember a life lost to colon cancer, members of the agricultural community in Kewaunee County just need to pass by the grain bins at Rio Creek Feed Mill. Andy Barta passed away almost two years ago to the day Hollywood actor Chadwick Boseman died of colon cancer after a four-year battle. Both were well under the age when many people get their first colonoscopy, a procedure the American Cancer Society recommends men get done every 10 years after they turn 45 to help find early signs of the disease.  Barta’s wife Allison says what they learned during his journey was the importance of early detection.

She adds that Andy would want people to be the biggest advocate for themselves when it comes to their health. Allison keeps her husband’s memory alive through the Andy Barta Legacy Charitable Fund, which helps serve Kewaunee County families affected by cancer.