NEW YORK, January 25, 2026 - Immediate Past President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC), Brian Lewis, has opened up about his decision to publicly disclose his prostate cancer diagnosis, describing it as an evolving process shaped by family discussions, personal reflection, and concern over the high mortality rates among Afro-Caribbean men.
Lewis shared his story on Saturday’s edition of TalkSports, hosted by Michael Bascombe and Rudieon Sylvan, in an interview that focused on health awareness, stigma, and the urgent need for early screening.
“I wouldn’t say something led me,” Lewis explained. “It evolved. In the early stages of my diagnosis, my wife and adult children agreed that going public would wait. The family needed time, with all the distractions, to come to terms with the diagnosis, the treatment options, and all the important decisions.”
He said that initial privacy proved necessary, as the emotional and mental strain of the diagnosis was significant.
“The mental and emotional strain of processing and coping and making all the decisions, despite the different opinions on the table, was debilitating,” Lewis said. “So that proved wise.”
Lewis noted that his thinking began to shift as he observed other high-profile figures confronting prostate cancer openly. He referenced legendary British cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, as well as former Trinidad and Tobago and Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop.
“I’ve always followed Sir Chris Hoy, the Olympian cyclist from the UK,” Lewis said. “I saw how he embraced the challenge and refused to allow the diagnosis to define him. Then recently, Shaka Hislop, whom I consider a very good friend, came out publicly. There was also another well-known public figure here in Trinidad and Tobago who was open about his situation, which is quite dire.”
Those examples, coupled with conversations with Hislop and others, reinforced for Lewis the need to confront what he described as a deeply rooted stigma surrounding male cancers in the Caribbean.
“There is this stigma about male cancers not just prostate, but testicular,” he said. “There is a silence because of the way we, particularly in the Caribbean, have been socialised into our ego, our virility, our masculinity, the machismo culture and how we identify ourselves as men.”
Lewis pointed to stark regional data to underscore the seriousness of the issue, noting that Afro-Caribbean men face significantly higher risks.
“The statistics will bear this out,” he said. “Research from the World Health Organisation, PAHO and CARPHA shows that Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago, in particular, have some of the highest prostate cancer mortality rates in the world.”
He explained that reluctance to undergo screening is a major factor driving those outcomes.
“Afro-Caribbean men are at higher risk because of our ethnicity, but also because of our reluctance to be screened, to do the PSA, to do the digital rectal examination and the other markers that point to early detection,” Lewis said. “The huge challenge is that prostate cancer does not provide symptoms in the early years.”
As a result, many men seek medical help only when the disease has advanced.
“By the time we get symptoms and go to the doctor, it’s already late stage,” he said. “That’s what causes the high mortality and morbidity rates in the Caribbean, with consequences not just for the individual, but for families, communities, and public health systems.”
Lewis added that public health experts now consider prostate cancer a major public health concern in the region.
Reflecting on his decision to speak openly, Lewis said encouragement from others who had gone public helped solidify his resolve.
“So I was saying all that to say, it evolved,” he said. “And I would say I was encouraged, if that’s the word, by Shaka Hislop and Sir Chris.”
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