Terrence Howard Shares Mom's Cancer Story in PSA

Terrence Howard -- who lost his mother at 56 years old  -- gets emotional in a new Public Service Announcement while recalling that his mom could have been saved if she had undergone early cancer screening.

"I miss my mother's voice and her gentle kindness," the Oscar-nominated actor reveals in the PSA for the Colon Cancer Alliance. "But despite my loss, my mom would love to know that her battle with colon cancer helped save others." He explains that his mother was already at Stage 3 cancer at the time of her diagnosis. "She should have been in a high-risk bracket and should have been tested at maybe 35, or maybe 40. If she had been, she would have been fine, but she didn't win that battle."

In our behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the PSA, the Hustle & Flow star gets emotional while speaking about the ways he still misses his mother. "I miss her voice, I remember my mom singing to me -- I remember singing with her," he says, tearing up. "It's the talks, it's everything."

"Terrence Howard is an extremely talented actor and we are so grateful that he is volunteering his support to The Colon Cancer Alliance," said Jasmine Greenamyer, COO of the CCA. "By sharing his personal story, he sends a powerful message to women about their risk for this disease."

The CCA's new public service campaign aims to raise awareness and encourage early screening for colon cancer -- the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in America. The organization points out that there is a prevalent misconception that colon cancer is "a man's disease," even though virtually equal numbers of men and women are diagnosed each year.