After being diagnosed in 2012 with stage II invasive ductal carcinoma, a type of breast cancer, I had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, surgery to remove an axillary lymph node, and radiation. In 2013, I started tamoxifen chemotherapy for 5 years, which led to side effects such as hair loss and muscle pain. This experience has changed my outlook on life.
Painting and drawing have always been an important part of my life, but since my cancer experience, art has become a wonderful source for mental and emotional healing.