I am a four-year survivor of ovarian cancer. I was married on January 1, 2016 and was diagnosed with stage 3c ovarian cancer. Since then, I have had four recurrences. Art was not a part of my life until I was diagnosed with cancer. Bruno Cancer Center in Birmingham, Alabama had an art therapy group and I decided to see what it was all about. Our art instructor started teaching me art techniques and I practiced until I began seeing a gift that God had given me. Art saved me from all the emotions associated from cancer. I love animals, and I love doing pet portraits. Luther was one of my models. 
 
In the picture, I&#39;m holding my painting and my sister-in-law, Lisa Allen, is holding Luther, her cat.

I used to photograph and process black-and-white photos. I had a stack of rejects and decided to paint them with watercolors, creating a new medium from an old. All of my artwork relates to my cancer journey, as it takes the edge off anxiety and keeps me sane. This one does that in particular, since my other sanity enhancer is my garden.

Essence of Nasturtium

I am a student at the University of Toledo studying graphic and interactive design, and I drew this portrait using colored pencils. 
 
Cancer has the ability to dramatically change a person&#39;s life. When I was a child, both my mother and grandmother were affected by breast and ovarian cancer. I saw how cancer had the ability to shape and change a women&#39;s self esteem and femininity. Cancer shaped their ideas about themselves and gave me a mature perspective about the psychological impact of the disease. Recently, I was given the opportunity to create artwork for the women&rsquo;s cancer unit at a hospital near where I had grown up. This piece is hung within the hospital to help those going through chemotherapy to escape the stresses of cancer treatment. This work is to serve as an encouragement to the women as they are battling cancer, portraying the power, beauty, femininity and strength that each woman has within themselves. 
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Luther

By Karen Garner

February 6th, 2020

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