From Physician to Patient: Dr. G. Lee Bryant Jr.'s Story

Physician Becomes the Patient

In July 2021, Dr. Bryant was diagnosed with acral subungual melanoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer that developed beneath the thumbnail of his dominant hand. In a remarkable twist, he performed the biopsy that led to his own diagnosis. What followed was surgery that included the partial amputation of his thumb, a full year of immunotherapy infusions, and the challenge of retraining his hands so he could return to the operating room and the patients he loves.

Rather than step away quietly, Dr. Bryant chose to share his journey openly with the patients who had trusted him for decades. His personal blog began as a simple way to keep them informed and has grown into something much more: an honest, moving account of what it means for a surgeon to sit on the other side of the exam table. He writes candidly about the anxiety of waiting on scan results, the patients and nurses who prayed over him, the faith that carried him and his wife Kellee through uncertain days, and the renewed sense of balance he discovered along the way. Now more than five years past his diagnosis and cancer-free, he continues to share his story to encourage others facing their own diagnosis and to raise awareness about melanoma.

Read Dr. Bryant's Story →