This is the story of Bianca Harvey, a Fayetteville native and former athlete who’s shared her battle with Stage 4 cancer on TikTok and Instagram.
Bianca Harvey’s battle with cancer has been anything but easy. Yet through it all, she has displayed remarkable resilience, fighting not only for herself but also for her daughter, Keilani.
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Standing beside her are her parents, along with her brother and extended family, who have been unwavering in their support. Bianca’s father is a cancer survivor himself, and she once believed the disease wouldn’t touch her until much later in life. But a series of severe stomach pains and hospital visits revealed otherwise.
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For this former top athlete, a tougher challenge arises
Cancer develops in stages. In Stage 1, it is typically small and localized. Stage 2 brings growth and possible spread to nearby lymph nodes. Stage 3 involves wider spread into surrounding tissues, and Stage 4— metastasis—means the cancer has reached distant organs or bones. For a young adult like Bianca, a Stage 4 diagnosis was rare and devastating. Still, as the daughter of a survivor, she tried to remain optimistic.
Before her diagnosis, Bianca was a standout athlete. A graduate of Douglas Byrd High School, she earned an athletic scholarship to Appalachian State University, where she competed in track and field and excelled academically. She majored in Health Promotion with a minor in Business. Her dream was to represent Puerto Rico, her father’s native country, as a long jumper. When life redirected her path, she moved to New Jersey to pursue personal training, eventually settling in Virginia. There, she became a mother, continued training clients, taught kickboxing and even competed in bodybuilding.
Alongside her fitness career, Bianca also taught sixth and eighth grade. It was during her third year of teaching that the first signs of illness appeared. She experienced persistent stomach pains, initially thought to be caused by GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Despite multiple visits and misdiagnoses, her pain worsened. One day, it became so unbearable that she couldn’t complete a classroom observation. After breaking down and admitting she didn’t know what was wrong, her assistant principal urged her to take time to find answers. Soon after, a series of medical tests —including a colonoscopy — brought life-changing news.
TikTok following: Fearing judgment, she instead found a community
The colonoscopy revealed colon cancer. Bianca’s father had been diagnosed in 2019 but became cancer-free within months. She hoped for the same outcome. Her family immediately rallied around her, with her mother bringing her home to North Carolina for treatment at Duke University Medical Center. There, her oncologist confirmed what she feared most: she was already in Stage 4.
“I didn’t go from Stage 1 to 2 to 3. I went straight to 4,” says Bianca, now 36.
She firmly believes that earlier detection might have slowed or even stopped the cancer’s progression.
Despite her darkest days, Bianca chose to become a source of hope for others facing similar battles. At first, she hesitated to share her story, worried about judgment. Instead, she found a community — her “battle buddies” — who lifted her up as she inspired thousands through candid videos and joyful dance routines on TikTok and Instagram, where her content has garnered millions of views.
Her story has been highlighted in a WRAL documentary and featured in People magazine.
“Me being on this cancer journey, it’s bigger than me. I didn’t realize how many people were also in this fight too,” she reflects.
‘Battle with B in Blue Gala’ raises awareness and supports a fellow cancer patient
To further raise awareness, Bianca is hosting the Battle with B in Blue Gala on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the John D. Fuller Recreation Center, 6627 Old Bunce Road. The formal event encourages guests to wear shades of blue. Admission is $40 and includes dinner, dessert, live entertainment, and guest speakers. A portion of the proceeds will support the needs of a fellow cancer patient.
Tickets can be purchased via Cash App or Zelle at (804) 588-2788. For updates on her journey, follow Bianca on Instagram @b_prettifit.
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Salute to Bianca and every activist getting active. Peace.
Reporting by Rakeem “Keem” Jones / The Fayetteville Observer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
