When Beth Bramlett was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma in early 2022, her life changed in an instant. What began as unexplained fatigue and abdominal swelling quickly became a devastating diagnosis that would launch Beth and her family into a battle they never expected to fight.
“I never imagined that I would be worried about seeing our kids graduate high school, attend college, get their first ‘adult’ job, getting married, having kids…just being there to watch their lives flourish,” Beth recalls. “But there I was.”
Despite the fear and uncertainty, Beth found hope — not just in the expert care she received at Atrium Health Levine Cancer, but in the community that rallied around her. From neighbors providing meals and friends offering emotional support, to her sisters showing up to her first oncology appointment in matching pajamas, love showed up in many ways.
Beth’s treatment was aggressive, and at times, exhausting. But with help from her care team, she pushed forward, undergoing six weeks of oral chemotherapy to shrink the tumors, followed by nine months of immunotherapy to help her immune system fight back. When melanoma was later found in her left ovary, she underwent a complete hysterectomy. Through it all, she managed side effects including fatigue, nausea, thyroid dysfunction, hair thinning, and rheumatoid arthritis.
“I’ve had my share of side effects,” Beth says, “but that’s a small price to pay because I’m still here.”
Now on a maintenance plan that includes oral chemo, monthly lab work and EKGs, and scans every three months, Beth remains focused on healing — and determined to one day ring the bell that signals the end of treatment.
Throughout Beth’s cancer journey, her husband, John, has been by her side. Married for 27 years and parents to three children, John has always been a rock for their family. But when life as they knew it came to a halt, he turned to something deeply personal to find healing: music. A longtime songwriter and musician, John returned to his creative roots and wrote a powerful song inspired by Beth’s courage. The result is “Strength of a Lion” — a tribute not just to Beth, but to everyone who has bravely faced cancer.
“Music is therapeutic,” Beth says. “I’m so proud of him for writing this song and putting himself out there. It tells the story of what it feels like to walk through cancer — together.”
Now the Bramletts are using the song to help raise money for the Carolinas Melanoma & Immunotherapy Fund at Atrium Health Levine Cancer — the very place that has given Beth hope and a second chance at life.
Beth’s motivation to give back is deeply personal. “Someone was there before me. Someone donated to the research. Someone went through the trials,” she says. She also credits her oncologist, Dr. Asim Amin, whose passion for research and groundbreaking work in immunotherapy gave her a path forward. “Dr. Amin’s background and how much he has been an active part of the research and finding cures was a huge motivation for us. We knew that supporting Levine Cancer Institute meant supporting that kind of life-saving work.”
By supporting local research, the Bramletts are helping fund treatment advancements and support resources for other patients. Their story is a powerful reminder that giving back can take many forms — whether it’s delivering a meal, sharing a song, or helping to fund the science that saves lives.
Click here to listen to “Strength of a Lion.”
Click here to donate to the Carolinas Melanoma & Immunotherapy Fund.