Our Story

These were the words spoken to Founder Kayla Nixon when she sought medical attention for abnormal pelvic symptoms in 2018.

Kayla was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in the fall of 2017 after facing abnormal bleeding for nearly eight consecutive months. When the symptoms began to worsen in late 2018, she attempted to make an appointment with her gynecologist but was redirected to another provider in the absence of her gynecologist.

Upon entering the room, Kayla explained her symptoms of abnormal bleeding, severe bloating, and pelvic pressure. The provider, a white male, did not perform any examination but rather looked at Kayla and said those words. There’s no way you have cancer. Following this statement, he went on to describe a White family friend who had recently lost a 21 year old daughter to gynecologic cancer.

How could it be that it was possible for a young white woman to have died of gynecologic cancer but not possible for a young black woman to be diagnosed with gynecologic cancer?

Kayla’s symptoms continued into January 2019, at which point she sought the professional opinion of her gynecologist, who rightfully performed a pelvic exam and ordered an ultrasound. Concerned with the results, her provider then scheduled a dilation and curettage (D&C), a surgical procedure that removes tissue from the uterus, on February 14, 2019. What a Valentine’s Day. A call on the morning of February 19 confirmed stage I uterine/endometrial cancer.

Treatment did not involve chemotherapy or radiation, but rather a brief stint of hormone therapy in pill form. To this day, Kayla’s gynecologist maintains never having another patient diagnosed with uterine cancer at such a young age and with her gynecologic oncologist and medical team, keeps a close watch on Kayla’s uterine health.

“Surviving any sort of cancer should make you an advocate,” Kayla shares. “After all, who would want to see others go through such a traumatizing event when your lived experience could be instrumental in saving someone else’s life?”

Over her five year survivorship, Kayla speaks candidly about her medical experiences and envisions becoming a leading voice in public health messaging that is specific to Black women.

She affirms that “we don't need anymore short-lived diversity initiatives—we need longterm humanitarian solutions.”

So what solutions are there?

Educational platforms and targeted awareness for us and by us.

Our community’s strength is in how we learn to confront hard topics amongst ourselves so that we can challenge the system with a unified voice.

This is Uterine Care Collaborative.

A haven for Black women and catalyst for reform within and outside of our community.