Mary Beth Kropp’s connection to C4 Unfiltered is deeply personal. A wife, mother, daughter, and sister, her life was forever changed by colorectal cancer. Her husband, Michael, was diagnosed at age 43 and passed away in 2021 due to surgical complications. Married for 28 years, Mary Beth and Michael built a life together and raised two sons, Michael Jr. and Alex, who continue to honor their father’s legacy alongside her.
Through Michael’s diagnosis and fight, the Kropp family experienced firsthand the critical importance of education, patient advocacy, and community support. Michael believed strongly in confronting conversations many avoid, knowing that openly discussing bowel habits and symptoms could save lives. That belief continues to guide Mary Beth’s work.
Mary Beth has served as a C4 Board Member since 2024 and is actively engaged with ASC-CAN, the California Cancer Control Plan, the California Dialogue on Cancer, the Global Colon Cancer Alliance, Project B.L.U.E., and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable.
In 2023, Mary Beth and her family founded Big Mike’s Bottom Line, a grassroots nonprofit focused on breaking the stigma surrounding colorectal cancer, normalizing conversations about symptoms and screening, and reaching adults ages 20–49—where rates are rising and diagnoses often occur later.
Through C4 Unfiltered, Mary Beth is committed to amplifying real stories, elevating patient and caregiver voices, and ensuring no family faces colorectal cancer in silence.