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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

WHY I'M DOING PAINT THE WORLD IN GOLD

ABOUT PAINT OUR WORLD IN GOLD

 

Have you ever been to a child’s funeral? I have. If you’re like me, you’ll probably agree when I say it is one of those moments that shakes you to your very core and changes the way you look at life. No, my child didn’t die from cancer. But my cousin’s did. I’ve had a bird’s eye view of the unmeasurable pain and cruelty of a mother losing her baby to cancer. But it easily could have been my little guy instead. In fact, male children today have a 1 in 300 chance of receiving a cancer diagnosis before 18 (1 in 333 for females). Odds of a person winning the lottery are 1 in 175 million.

Life has always had special meaning to me. As a labor and delivery nurse, I’ve witnessed the miracle of new life begin time and time again. Words can never describe the moment when time stands still for a child taking their first breath. And watching my cousin and her husband see their baby take his last was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

Much of the opinion of the general public is that pediatric cancer is a rare disease and that current scientific advances have “solved” a lot of the common cancers in children. That there are tons of foundations and charities that get plenty of funding. That this is something they can look away from. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

It’s a cruel world when these kids are beginning their lives as a struggle to survive, doing the impossible every day just to fight for their life. They need advocates, more research and more funding. They need voices.  The saying goes "out of sight, out of mind," and I think many in our society live by this mantra, whether they mean to or not. We have so many children in need, but if you don’t see it everyday, you’re not compelled to do something. What kind of world are we living in, when we are oblivious to our most vulnerable populations who are struggling simply to survive?

My background as a former cancer biology researcher, registered nurse, mother, and artist have positioned me as a unique child advocate and I believe this is an opportunity to connect the public with those in need through art. I believe we can raise awareness, increase financial support, and provide a little inspiration for those that might need it.  I want to get people talking and create momentum for change. And I hope that you'll join me on a journey through my cultural art project, spotlighting 12 inspiring and imaginative children battling one of the hardest things they may ever have to face. Twelve amazing stories of incredible strength and courage, and the artistic representation of their strength in 12 original paintings each month.

Each family is willing to show us part of their life to change the composition of each artwork, to pass along a symbol of their strength and courage to someone else, with the opportunity to put their stamp on this world forever. These 12 paintings represent something so incredibly powerful: the unmeasurable strength of a child — one of the greatest forces in the universe.

With so many children affected by cancer, it’s unfair to spotlight only a handful of them in this project, yet these children represent the everyday courage, bravery, and the battles of their peers around the globe. They are everyday heroes. And most of us will never have to know what that kind of bravery feels like. 

They are the ones who are standing up to their fears every single day, looking dragons in the eye, and ferociously fighting for a future of uncertainty and an unknown lifetime of challenges. They are the ones who can recite the names of their chemotherapy drugs, instead of the names of their classmates. They are the ones who play hopscotch in the hallways of their oncology units, instead of on the playground. They are the ones whose laughter can make a heart melt, whose valor can bring tears to an eye, and whose strength can bring a grown up to their knees. 

  

I am driven by several things at the core of this project, deeply rooted in many facets of my life. Many years ago, I was a member of a small research team that explored genetic influences on cancer cells as I embarked on a career in molecular biology. I faced the tough decision to leave the team and later chose to become a registered nurse. As a scientist, I've had an incredible respect for the molecular systems that govern the way our bodies react to the disease of cancer. As a nurse, I've had an undeniable urge to help the people around me. And as an artist I've always longed to create and put my stamp on something beautiful. 

This project is a culmination of my life's passions. And it is a tribute, an awareness campaign, a public art exhibit, and a fundraiser. 

Someone once told me that it is when you combine completely different worlds that you have the possiblity to change something. I've spent my entire life trying to figure out a way to combine medicine, humanity, and art in a way that is meaningful to me. This is my journey.







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