Go Cells Go

By Megan Wassom

Media: enamel paint

Size: 36” x 36”

Two weeks after her sister’s death from lung cancer, my grandma was diagnosed with Stage 3A invasive ductal breast carcinoma. Instead of focusing on her negative breast cancer battles, including the effects of double mastectomies, axillary lymph node dissection, radiation, and chemotherapy, she focused on the positive battles going on within her body: her tiny, healthy cells fighting off the big, ugly cancer cells. My hope with this painting is that viewers fighting cancer will choose to focus their minds on joining their cells’ fights. I hope that those experiencing cancer will center their attention and energy on encouraging their bodies’ most basic unit of life in its own fight against cancer. When it comes to cancer, it is essential to first start with the smallest and most important positive aspect of the disease: healthy cells living and cancer cells dying. Encourage good cells to fight this villain and envision healthy cells living and surviving. Go, cells, go!