Fishing4aCure
Fishing4aCure is a dream that I have had since fall of 2015 when I was approaching the end of treatment for Multiple Myeloma. The clincal trial I was in at the time, and the research that lead to it, put me in remission. During this time two organizations helped me tremendously, from the very beginning of my Myeloma Journey, through to the present and my current ongoing battle with Myelodysplastic Syndrome. The Leukemia, Lymphoma Society (LLS) and CaringBridge have been invaluable to me.
LLS provides patients with blood cancers with free information and support services, along with several financial aid programs, along with funding research around the world.
CaringBridge is a free service that provides a private and secure method of communicating with family and friends so they can stay updated on your cancer journey and treatment. As you can imagine it can be stressful trying to communicate individually with a large group of people. CaringBridge allows the Patient and Caregiver to communicate with folks as a group, and allows family and friends to give
support via comments and tributes.
It's a win win for everyone.
Both of these organizations survive on donations. With every print you purchase 10% of the sale of each print will go to one of these charities.
Thank you in advance for purchasing a print and helping me to achieve this dream.
The Path Series
The Path Series is part of this dream and has given me inspiration in my recovery. I had reached a point where I was unable to create any art because of side effects from medications. It was a very frustrating time. Finally I decided to paint anyway and just
see what would happen.
And so the Path Series was born. There are currently three pieces in the Path Series, Path to a Cure, Believe and Fortitude. You can find them on my Gallery Page. Each of these pieces represent a stage in my Cancer Journey. And each one will come with the story behind the it. More pieces will be added to the Path Series as inspiration hits.
Path to a Cure
The garden path represents the steps taken along a cancer journey. Not everything about cancer is sadness and despair.
The garden is a riot of color, representing all the good that happens along the way. The people you meet, new relationships, unexpecteded kindnesses, the caring medical staff, doctors, nurses, and technicians, they are all your flower garden if you stop long enough to realize it. They are all there helping you along the Path to a Cure.
Believe
Fall is a beautiful time of year with all the colors, but the leaves will fall and the trees will be bare again. We have to live through the barreness of winter and believe that spring and renewal will return. So it is with a cancer journey, you live your life full of color. Then you hear the word cancer, which forces you to live through the winter of your treatment, endless decisions and uncertainty. But even through the desolation of that winter you must believe in a positive outcome, that there will be renewal, and that another spring will come.
Fortitude
Fortitude is defined as the mental and emotional strength to endure pain or adversity,
against which one has no adequate defense.
A road weaves through the dark trees.
The trees represent the unexpected challenges
and setbcks in treatment, or in life.
The golden colors represent the strength of mind and fortitude needed to overcome these obstacles.