Cancer survivor finds powerful relationship with artists
Shortly after I was diagnosed with breast cancer, one of my friends told me about Twist Out Cancer and how inspired she had been by the story of Jenna Benn Shersher, who founded the organization.
A few months later, in early 2018, I saw an application online for Brushes with Cancer in Chicago, and I decided to apply to be an Inspiration.
I have an incredible support system of family and friends, and I know how powerful relationships can be in the healing process. After a bilateral mastectomy, and while I was in the midst of chemo, I was so excited to be accepted and matched with an artist who quickly became a friend.
Rebecca Roin and I met for coffee, meals, a walk around an art museum, and we even got a little dirty making art together in her studio.
The piece she created tells my cancer story through a collage depicting the huge range of feelings - from calm to chaos.
Throughout my treatment, I tried my hardest to focus on the positives - and the connection I found with Rebecca, and the Twist Out Cancer community as a whole, shines through as one of those bright patches.
After my meaningful experience as an Inspiration, I joined the board of directors and just kicked off my fourth year on the board. I was also honored to serve as a co-chair for the 2019 Brushes with Cancer program in Chicago, which was an incredible opportunity to see the bigger picture impact of Brushes with Cancer through the eyes of that year's Inspirations, artists, and so many of our loved ones.
In early 2020, COVID forced many of us to dig deep and find the resilience we knew we had from our cancer experiences. And, once again, Twist Out Cancer shone brightness into the dark when I was asked if I wanted to participate as an Inspiration again.
I originally said I wanted someone new to have the amazing experience of being an Inspiration, but I also curiously asked who the artist was. I looked up Anna Feneis' piece in the 2019 program book and, crazy enough, I had bid on it at the Brushes with Cancer event that year!
Apparently, I loved her art before I even met her.
Anna and I had an instant connection, and over the course of many FaceTime chats, we bonded over so much, especially related to cancer stories that impacted both of us.
The piece she created is perfect, and I think it's best to quote her description: "I often think about the tulips that bloom on Michigan Avenue every spring. In preparation, thousands of bulbs are planted along the road in late October. Then, in April, after what feels like an endless winter submerged by gray skies and temperatures so bitter they make your eardrums hurt, a colorful oasis of flowers surface ... [Mardi] weathered her cancer battle as if she knew the tulips were waiting for her on the other end. She knew life had so much more in store for her - more journeys, more knowledge, and more love. And, boy, have those tulips blossomed."
As we start our third year in a pandemic world, I am so grateful for this incredible organization and how it shows us the power to heal through art and human connection.