Despite being “unbelievably healthy,” the devoted mother was shocked by the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness that left her praying for survival for the sake of her daughter.
Bianca Harvey opened up to raise awareness about her journey. She also shared personal photos capturing heartfelt moments with her family, who have stood by her side throughout her illness.
Bianca shed light on how her situation unfolded during an April 2025 interview. What started with subtle signs two years ago, quickly turned into something far more serious.
In early 2023, she began feeling mild stomach discomfort. After having fibroids removed just months before, she assumed the pain was part of the healing process. The cramps soon escalated into sharp, stabbing aches that refused to let up.
Despite several visits to the emergency room, doctors could not give her clear answers, suggesting ulcers or GERD, but even an endoscopy revealed nothing.
At the time, Bianca was teaching sixth-grade science in Colonial Heights, Virginia. The pain would hit her so hard, she sometimes stepped out to her car just to cry in private.
One day, as her principal walked in to observe her class, the educator found herself hunched over — unable to stand upright — as she tried to push through the lesson.
That moment in the classroom marked a turning point. Bianca knew she could no longer deal with the pain, so she sat down with her principal and laid everything bare. The teacher explained:
“I was in excruciating pain. I was taking ibuprofen all day. I’d stopped working out. I’d stopped doing all the things I used to do.”
Fitness had once been a core part of her life. She started running at thirteen, later earning a track and field scholarship to Appalachian State University. Over the years, she worked as a personal trainer and kickboxing coach.
Even after giving birth to her daughter Keilani in January 2016, Bianca kept up with body sculpting and training on the side. But her health forced her to step back.
“The pain was so bad,” she shared, “I told my clients, ‘I’m going to take a break until I find out what’s going on.'” Her appetite faded, the weight started dropping, and she knew something was seriously wrong.
Then came June 2023. Bianca’s doctor ordered a CT scan — and the results changed everything. “She called me the next day and said, ‘I know why you’re in excruciating pain. We see a tumor in your stomach. We don’t know if it’s benign or malignant, so now you need to get a colonoscopy,'” recalled the mother of one.
The moment the doctor hung up, Bianca broke down. She picked up the phone and called her mother, sobbing. Without hesitation, her parents jumped in the car and drove 200 miles from Fayetteville, North Carolina, to be by her side.
Bianca braced herself for the next round of tests. The colonoscopy soon followed — and so did the devastating news. The doctors told her:
“You have colon cancer.”
She was just 33 years old at the time, and her daughter Keilani was only seven. The diagnosis raised questions among those close to Bianca, given her strong health history. She said:
“For me to get it so young, everybody was just like, how? But it’s happening to people younger and younger. Early screening is so important.”