"My symptoms were vague and yet I knew something was wrong," said Bahkahlenah Buie. "I would love to spend time telling my story more often and bringing more attention to ovarian cancer because it is often ignored by women and their doctors."
Bahkahlenah Buie was diagnosed in 2015. "I remember lying on the couch watching tv and I touched my hand to the lower right part of my stomach. I thought I felt something, but I was not sure." After seeing an OB/GYN who reluctantly gave her a pap smear and told her she was fine, Bahkahlenah was dismissed rather abruptly by her doctor who made her feel as if she had wasted his time. "I waited another couple of months and then sought out another doctor, I saw a nurse practitioner who examined and listened to me." The nurse practitioner referred a surgical gynecologist who then referred a gynecologic oncologist at Emory who ordered a biopsy, ran tests (MRI and CT scans) and then told Bahkahlenah that she had ovarian cancer. After her surgery and six rounds of chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer, Bahkahlenah saw a gene counselor and was told that she was BRCA positive. "In October 2018, I underwent a double mastectomy to limit my chances of developing breast cancer."
After her diagnosis, Bahkahlenah searched online for local ovarian cancer supporter groups and came across the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance Teal Trot which she successfully participated in after her treatment. She enrolled in an Emory pilot program called Healthy Kitchen and has been researching vegan food dishes as a part of her healthy living and eating commitment. This year, for the first time, Bahkahlenah will be attending the Shaken, Not Stirred Gala with her 16-year-old son Taj and is very much looking forward to learning more about GOCA and meeting more survivors. "I do not stress out as easily as I used to about things that I cannot change and I spend time taking care of myself." Travel is becoming more important to Bahkahlenah and she had recently visited Illinois, Florida, and Texas as well as a trip to Washington DC with Taj.
"I do believe that when I tell other women about my story that it helps to put a face on ovarian cancer," Bahkahlenah said. " It is real when I talk to women, I talk to men too and I explain that they need to know about ovarian cancer as well."
The Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance was founded in 1998 by a group of thirteen ovarian cancer survivors to educate Georgia's women, their families, and healthcare providers about the risks, symptoms, and treatments of ovarian cancer. The Shaken, Not Stirred Gala, GOCA's annual fundraiser is coming up on March 14 at Georgia Aquarium and features a culinary offering from the member chefs of the Atlanta Chapter of the Les Dames d'Escoffier International. The evening's celebration highlights the work of GOCA, salutes our survivors and their caregivers, and raises critical funds in support of GOCA's outreach programs and the Bag of Hope.