SEATTLE — For most of their life, Keyana Buckner struggled to find their place in the world.
"I spent my early years as a lesbian kind of presenting in a more masculine way. That's where I felt comfortable," said Buckner. "Most of my life, I felt different. I never had the language to say trans up until I was 34. I didn't even know I was trans until my 30’s. I think the reason why I'm here now and considering myself trans is because there's a new experience. And that experience is that I am not fully comfortable in this body anymore. I want to live the rest of my life in a body that feels more me."
To help with their transition, Buckner was referred to the medical staff at Swedish First Hill Family Medicine.
"Coming to a clinic or coming to any kind of health care institution can be a very nerve-wracking experience for LGBTQ+ patients," said Dr. Kevin Wang, Medical Director for Swedish Health Services LGBTQ+ Program.
Dr. Wang has spearheaded Swedish’s health care and advocacy program dedicated to supporting the needs of LGBTQ+ patients since its inception.
"Our community members, our medical students, our residents were asking us, and appropriately demanding us to do more, to be more accountable for LGBTQ+ communities," said Dr. Wang. "For our trans and gender diverse patients we provide primary care services, so cancer screenings care for chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, but then for some additional services, we offer gender-affirming hormone therapy for all patients of all ages. We also provide some surgical procedures."
The program also provides training for their practitioners so they can better provide a safe and comfortable environment for gender-diverse patients.
"To be able to be sort of used as a model for the care we want to provide across the entire Providence St. Joseph health care system is really exciting," Dr. Wang said.
For patients like Buckner, the treatment and support Dr. Wang and his staff have given let them know they're not going on this journey alone.
"I feel very, very lucky to have a doctor like him and a health team like they've built here at Swedish,” said Buckner. "I have never experienced care like this."
Sponsored by Providence Swedish