07/09/2026
When I was approached in December about creating a piece for the Margery E Yuill cancer center, I immediately said, of course I would, having lost my brother earlier that year and knowing so many others that have fought some winning some losing their battle.
Never would I have ever thought that I would have started my own battle with cancer four months later. Of course I am a go hard or go home kind of person so after my lumpectomy, I was told I have not one type of cancer but two. Now I’m looking ahead meeting with surgeons to book my double mastectomy and I definitely have a lot of thoughts going through my head on this journey.
When my brother was sick, we stayed by his side to make sure he felt love and never alone, but what cancer has taken from me over the years with friends and family. I am choosing not to let it take any more, especially the beauty that is around me the things that make me smile make me happy. Don’t get me wrong. I will still cry when it becomes overwhelming, but I will not let the grief consume me. I will never stop trying to see the beauty that this life is still putting in front of me.
When I created the Sculpture, I wanted it to speak that for me. The Charred Wood on its left is the hard times we have to go through. The roses running down her right side to the bottom left is the beauty that is life itself. I did not keep the left all black because I wanted to show that even in the darkest times there is still beauty to be seen. Sometimes you just have to want to see it. So I sanded roses into the Char because I wanted to express that if you were willing to see it, it is there, whether it is the nurse or doctors being kind and understanding, to people wanting to pray for you or just spending a beautiful day with family and friends, there’s beauty to be seen. I hope you all find so many beautiful blessings around you today and always.
