GREENE COUNTY — Brice Davis, a Greene County father, was diagnosed with the rare blood cancer multiple myeloma five years ago at age 31.
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Through his experience, Davis authored the book “Rise Anyway” to connect with others facing similar struggles.
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that people have less than a one percent chance of being diagnosed with this type of cancer in the U.S.
Davis was a new single parent. His daughter, Rarity, was just 1 year old when he received the diagnosis.
Davis described his initial reaction to the diagnosis.
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“Instantly, it felt like the world around me shook up,” he said.
Davis believes the cancer was active in his body for an extended period before his official diagnosis.
He sought medical advice for years due to symptoms.
“First thing I noticed, I was very low on energy,” Davis said. “You know, I had seen doctors and they would give me advice on what I need to do and should do.”
His journey to diagnosis involved multiple doctor visits and tests to determine the cause of his symptoms.
“And come to find out, my hemoglobin was low and thats how we were able to determine the diagnosis by doing a bunch of scans and tests to try to figure out whats going on because prior to being diagnosed, I was going to several different doctors at least within a three year time span, trying to figure out why im so tired and in pain all the time,” Davis explained.
He underwent chemotherapy treatments, numerous doctor appointments, and a stem cell transplant while balancing his responsibilities as a full-time parent.
Davis searched online for information and stories from others with his condition.
However, he found a lack of relatable experiences.
“Since it’s so uncommon, I couldn’t really find anybody my age or anybody, no celebrity or nobody that talked about it,” Davis said.
His book aims to encourage those dealing with a cancer diagnosis or general life difficulties.
“A lot of times we go through dark storms and we think that storm’s forever, but its just a reminder there’s always a bounce back, usually bounce back for the better, and so if I can overcome things like this, then, I just want people to take from it that to not allow circumstances to hold you back and that it can make you stronger as a person,” Davis shared.
News Center 7 anchor Nick Foley was also diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2023.
Like Davis, Foley is undergoing regular treatment and closely monitors his health.
The American Cancer Society estimates that doctors diagnose a little more than 35,000 people with the disease each year.
Davis’ health is currently stable, and he is not undergoing chemotherapy.
He monitors his condition by checking in with his doctors every three months.
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