"Dear Cancer, We’re Onto You, and Your Days are Numbered"

Bryan Boyer’s Journey of Strength and Purpose

At first, Bryan Boyer thought it was just a tough allergy season. He was coughing heavily, and when he noticed blood in his stool, he assumed the two were related and chalked it up to his body being wracked by the coughing bouts. Also, a doctor suggested it could be something like colitis or diverticulitis.

But when the bleeding didn’t stop even after the pollen had cleared, Bryan scheduled a colonoscopy, more out of caution than fear. When he woke up from anesthesia, he smiled at the medical team around him. “I was just so happy to see everyone,” Bryan recalled. “I even joked with them, thanking them for a job well done.”

Then came the most shocking and unwanted words Bryan had ever heard: Stage 2 colon cancer.

Bryan, a 38-year-old process improvement engineer at Tower Health, had no family history of colon cancer. 

But from the moment of diagnosis, he knew exactly where he wanted to be treated: McGlinn Cancer Institute at Reading Hospital, part of Tower Health.

“These are the people I worked with and already really respected,” he said. “Tower and McGlinn checked all my boxes for what I would expect. For McGlinn to have an entire package to offer patients is a big deal.”

A Better Way

Bryan’s professional life is all about systems: designing workflows, improving efficiency, and refining processes. He’s accustomed to solving problems, always looking for a better way.

Cancer gave him a new, personal lens to apply those skills.

“I’ve never been more motivated professionally,” he said. “Everyone’s cancer journey has good days and bad days. Those experiences can make even simple tasks feel overwhelming. I’m inspired by how small changes, often overlooked, can significantly reduce patient stress.”

He chooses his words carefully, resisting the urge to list specific improvements he’s pursuing: “In my world, calling something a ‘final solution’ too soon can set false expectations. It’s always a work in progress.”

Bryan underwent surgery to remove 11 inches of his colon and his appendix. Today, he’s cancer-free, closely monitored through bloodwork at four-week intervals, soon moving to every three months.

One of the technologies that impresses Bryan most is how McGlinn now scans his blood for a specific cancer signature unique to him. McGlinn partners with an organization that identifies this fingerprint-like cancer profile, which can inform preventative care and early identification strategies.

“It’s not just diagnosing colon cancer,” Bryan explained. “They diagnose my cancer, and by ‘my cancer,’ I mean ‘Bryan’s cancer.’ They track a specific signature in my blood unique to me, and can detect if anything changes."

Throughout his journey, Bryan found comfort not just in medical expertise but in the compassionate way the staff at McGlinn handled everything.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” he said. “The staff helped fill in those gaps, things like how to answer tough questions from family and friends when I wasn’t sure what to say. They removed so much of the unknown and made it easier to just focus on healing.”

A Better Person

At home in Robesonia, Bryan’s life is full and active. He and his family spend their days involved in sports, creating art, and making things together—a life rich with the kind of moments he now cherishes even more deeply.

Reflecting on his experience, Bryan shares a perspective that feels both grounded and uplifting.

“Cancer doesn’t have to be scary,” he said. “How you deal with hearing you have cancer can make it scary. But it can also make you a better person. It can make you live a more fulfilling life.”

His advice to others is simple, but powerful: “Go love harder. Go learn. Go teach. Go be courageous.”

And to cancer itself, he has one final message: “Dear Cancer: We’re onto you, and your days are numbered.”