Bryce Ramsey knows the importance of listening to her body.
A nurse with 16 years of experience, she was no stranger to the demands of healthcare, but when subtle signs began appearing in her own life, she found herself on the other side of patient care.
A Nurse’s Intuition
At 33, Bryce noticed blood in her stool but brushed it off as hemorrhoids — after all, she was on her feet all day as a nurse and had given birth to a 10.5-pound baby. But when the bleeding persisted and mucus appeared, she confided in her boyfriend, Mickee, who also works in the medical field.
“I made a deal with myself,” Bryce recalls. “If this happens again, I’m calling.”
That call led her to GI Associates, where Cindy Haden Wright, MD, took her concerns seriously. Dr. Wright told Bryce that she normally wouldn’t scope her at a young age, but the presence of significant family history — something Bryce had only recently learned about — led to a colonoscopy.
The results were alarming: a 5 cm polyp in her sigmoid colon. It was too large to remove via a standard procedure, so she was referred to a surgeon.
A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
As Bryce was en route to her surgical consult with Richard Yelverton, MD, general surgeon at St. Dominic Hospital, Dr. Wright called. The biopsy results had come in: adenocarcinoma. Cancer.
“I’ll let him know what you said,” Bryce told her. “We’ll get this out.”
Bryce was scheduled for surgery within 10 days.
On November 14, 2019, Dr. Yelverton removed three feet of Bryce’s colon and 13 lymph nodes. Three tested positive for cancer, confirming her diagnosis as stage 3.
Strength, Love and a Proposal on the 50-Yard Line
While Bryce was battling cancer, Mickee was planning a surprise.
“He had been saving for a ring,” Bryce says, unaware of what was to come.
Just five days after her surgery, she mustered the strength to attend a New Orleans Saints game, a tradition for the couple. In the final play of the game, surrounded by fellow season ticket holders and the cheers of the crowd, Mickee got down on one knee and proposed.
“Google it,” Bryce laughs. “Demario Davis #56 even retweeted our story!”
Fighting for Her Future
Bryce started chemotherapy in early 2020 under the care of Bobby Graham, MD, hematology oncology physician at St. Dominic’s, whose compassionate care made a difference.
“He hugged me and said, ‘I have three sons, and I’m going to treat you like my daughter.’ Then he prayed over me,” Bryce recalls. “It was the sweetest thing.”
She endured six rounds of chemotherapy, adjusting her treatment plan after severe toxicity due to her previous bariatric surgery.
Though the journey was difficult, Bryce remained determined: “I had a seven-year-old at the time. No one else is raising my baby but me.”
In June 2020, amidst the chaos of a global pandemic, Bryce and Mickee married. And just weeks later, on Father’s Day, they discovered they were expecting a baby boy — Emree Lucas-Ray who joined their blended family.
Turning Pain into Purpose
Now a five-year colon cancer survivor, Bryce is using her experience to educate others. As the reigning Mrs. Mississippi Plus America, she has made colon cancer awareness her platform, urging people to pay attention to their bodies.
“Bleeding from your behind is not normal,” she emphasizes. “People are embarrassed to talk about it, but I try to make them comfortable. I’d rather it be a false alarm than a missed diagnosis.”
Her advocacy extends beyond social media posts and conversations — she’s motivated her own family to take action.
“Bryce showed incredible faith and strength in the face of her diagnosis and her resilience and determination were an inspiration to all our clinic staff,” Dr. Graham says. “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer in younger adults over the past 20 years. Hopefully, Bryce’s story will bring greater awareness to the need to be more proactive about your health, being aware of your family medical history and getting screened according to American Cancer Society guidelines.”
Faith, Family and the Future
Bryce credits her faith for guiding her through her cancer journey.
“St. Dominic’s is a faith-based hospital, but more than that, I felt God’s presence in my care. When Dr. Graham prayed over me, I knew I was in the right place.”
Bryce’s mission to raise awareness about colorectal cancer never stops. Every March, she shares daily facts about the disease, encouraging people to get screened.
“Listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, push for answers.”
From a diagnosis that could have been missed to a life filled with love, advocacy and new beginnings, Bryce’s story is one of resilience, faith and the power of speaking up.
