By Lee Hurley
Barry Buckner has been cancer-free for five years.
He knows he is a lucky one and he lives his life accordingly.
On Jan 25, 2025, at The Club, Buckner will be honored at the James Bond Gala for Radiation Oncology Accelerated Research, dubbed ROAR and founded in 2009 to raise funds for the radiation oncology department at UAB’s O’Neal Cancer Center.
Buckner woke up one morning in 2017 with a knot on his right ankle and it hurt like hell.
“Gout,” he thought. His dad had it and now in his 60s, he did too.
He called his friend Dr. Phillip Bobo in Tuscaloosa, got some blood work done and it did appear that it could be gout, so Bobo called in a prescription.
It went right away. Then it showed up on his left ankle, then back to his right. Weird. Then it showed up in his calf.
Dr. Bobo said, “Barry, that sounds like a blood clot. We need to get you to the hospital.” Turns out, Buckner had two blood clots in one leg and three in the other.
Buckner Knows Cars
Barry Buckner is a car guy. It’s been in his blood for 55 years. Growing up in Bessemer, he worked for his dad’s Chevrolet dealership until his family encouraged him to go to college.
“I went to Auburn and was bored to death,” he said. “I called my daddy and said, ‘Look, I’m down here learning that George Washington was 6-foot-3. I don’t care about all that and I want to come back to work.’”
Buckner helped his dad get through some rough patches in the ‘70s, and the dealership became profitable again. Then his dad did the unthinkable and sold the dealership.
“Now, I love my daddy,” Buckner said, “but he just left me standing there and it hurt. I was lost.”
Buckner moved to Tuscaloosa and got involved in an Oldsmobile Hyundai dealership that started off slow. Today he owns Landmark Collison Center, Bama Buggies, which sells ATVs and Sea Doos, and a dealership that sells and services Hyundai’s like hotcakes. The companies have passed $100 million in sales.
Surprised by Sneak Attack
Barry Buckner had never been sick a day in his life until he found himself in a hospital on New Year’s Eve in 2017. No one could find anything wrong with him beyond his blood clots. Luckily for him, his daughter Brooke wasn’t so sure about that.
“She wore the doctors out with questions, and finally they said the only thing we haven’t tried is a chest X-ray.”
The next morning a doctor came in and told Buckner he was being released. He said, that’s great news, but would you mind telling me what the chest X-ray looked like, just so I’ll know?
The doctor went to the computer and hit a few buttons and turned pale.
“Mr. Buckner, who is your cancer doctor?” he asked. “I don’t have a cancer doctor,” Buckner said. “Do I need one?” They had found a mass in his lung. It was Stage 3b.
“My daughter saved my life,” Buckner said, matter-of-factly.
Barry Buckner went home and said to God, “I’m not afraid to die, I know where I’m going so, if it’s my time to go it’s my time to go, but if it’s not my time, I need you to help me fight this.”
The two doctors who helped Buckner get beyond this Stage 3b lung cancer were John Dubay and UAB oncologist Francisco Robert. The two worked together to get Buckner the latest chemotherapy cocktail along with radiation and then a year of immunotherapy.
Today, Barry Buckner is in remission, involved in a long-term relationship with retired Birmingham attorney Sybil Howell and grateful to have his daughter helping him run his companies. He also has his grandchildren to worship.
Hear Them ROAR
Last year’s ROAR gala raised more than half a million dollars.
“We are so impressed by the amazing support and generosity of our local community,” said ROAR President Mona Stephens. “The money we raise will go toward cancer research, including investing in cutting-edge technology to save patient’s lives,” gala chair Julie Kim added.
This year, the black-tie event will feature dinner and dancing at The Club, an ice sculpture, a skull vodka martini bar and auction items such as a signed guitar by Taylor Swift. For tickets and more information visit Roar2025.givesmart.com.
