Bridgeport, CT–Each September, an event in Connecticut mixes music, golf, and heartfelt purpose to address one of the U.S.’s most serious but often under‑discussed health challenges: colorectal cancer. The Bottoms Up Invitational, founded by TODAY anchor Craig Melvin and his wife Lindsay Czarniak, whose father is a colon cancer survivor, made its fourth annual return September 14th-15th, and the turnout was yet another success in honor of Melvin’s late brother, Lawrence Meadows, who died of stage‑4 colorectal cancer in 2020 at age 43.
The two day benefit gala kicked off Sunday at the Toyota Mortgage Arena with special guests and live performances from cancer survivor Marisa Peters, Ray Boudreaux of NBC’s The Voice Season 5, The TBD Band, David Correy of The X factor, race car and TV show host Rutledge Wood, record exec and vet Hip-Hop rapper of 3rd Bass MC Serch, CT’s own singer-songwriter Drew Angus, musician Megan Davis Campbell, Sister Hazel’s Drew Copeland and Jett Beres, singer Ryan Cabrera, singer-songwriter Lauren Jenkins, gospel greats The Blind Boys of Alabama, musician and record producer Patrick Davis, the legendary Lisa Lisa, along with multi Grammy Award winning band of Hootie & the Blowfish.
All devotedly sharing their love, support, and experiences for the cause. On Monday, the event will continue with a Celebrity Golf Invitational at Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk, CT.
I had the honor of interviewing the iconic Lisa Lisa, a legend whose music shaped a generation and who is also a breast cancer survivor, to discuss the importance of Latina artists supporting the Bottom’s Up event.
“I think it’s very important to lend your voice, your appearance, your everything. It’s a great platform and um..I’m so glad that they have this today because when I had my cancer, none of this existed. And um, it was me on the stage with a pack on my side covering it with a tutu to continue to you know do my work because I was afraid that it would be taken away from me, and now we have all of this, so we need to continue a lot of this.”
“I’m a Latina..I’m a proud Latina from Hell’s Kitchen midtown Manhattan um, I’m doing this for my mom cause my mom is..was– rest your soul mommy-was also a cancer survivor and uh again, we didn’t have all the resources and it was a struggle to get the medications and the hospital stay that we needed so, as a Latina I gotta represent I gotta help.”
Colorectal cancer remains a leading cancer killer: in 2025, an estimated 154,270 Americans will be diagnosed, and about 52,900 will die from it. What’s more concerning is that younger adults are being diagnosed more often now. Though cancer has historically been viewed as a disease of older age, recent studies show that trends are shifting.
Initially diagnosed at age 39, Meadow’s unfortunate passing not only devastated the family but also may have been prevented, says Melvin, had both the signs and lack of knowledge about the disease weren’t ignored. “We didn’t know about a family history of it”, …” And then all of a sudden you start asking questions and you realize, oh, wait a minute. Our grandma had colon cancer. We didn’t know she had colon cancer. No one ever talked about it.”
When detected early, colorectal cancer survival rates are high. Yet many people skip screenings, either due to lack of awareness, fear, the stigma associated with it, or accessibility. “No one wants to talk about their colon or their rectum, and that’s why people are dying.”
The Bottoms Up Invitational is more than an event—it’s a tribute, a call to action, and a community coming together. Through music, sport, generosity, and storytelling, Craig Melvin is keeping his brother’s memory alive while helping save lives. As we look ahead to this and future gatherings, the hope is that each ticket bought, each donation made, and each conversation started brings us closer to a future where colorectal cancer is caught early, treated successfully, and no longer shrouded in silence.
As promised to his brother, and is now a movement, bringing together survivors, caregivers, donors, and medical experts to amplify awareness, raise funds, and, above all, prevent needless loss, is the ultimate goal of this enduring event.
