“The Golden Drop”
Leah Phillips
@leah_l_phillips on Instagram
@leah_phillips.lungcancer on TikTok
Louisville, KY
Survivor
Twist on Cancer:I was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer at 43. I was healthy, active, raising three children, and had never smoked. The diagnosis was a shock. Lung cancer was not part of the story I thought I was living. More than six years later, I am still here. Living longer than I first imagined and defying the statistics I was given at diagnosis has brought deep gratitude, but also complicated emotions. When you outlive the timeline you once feared, time changes. Ordinary moments feel sacred. Milestones carry more weight. Scans hold both hope and vulnerability. Cancer has taught me that strength is quiet and daily. It is learning, asking questions, advocating for yourself, and allowing others to walk beside you. Understanding my diagnosis and becoming an active participant in my care did not erase the fear that remains, but it gave me clarity and direction. That journey led me to advocacy and to co-founding the Young Lung Cancer Initiative, where I now work to educate and empower others navigating this disease. I share my story not because it is perfect, but because it is real. If it helps someone feel less alone or more confident in using their voice, then this journey carries meaning beyond me. Cancer changed my perspective, but it did not take away my voice. And that is my twist.
Midia Joy Hasso
Miami, FL
www.Midiajoy.com
@midia_joy and @artbymidia on Instagram
“The Golden Drop”
Acrylic and Gold Leaf on Canvas
24” x 24” x 0.5”
$1,500
Artist Statement: This painting was created after months of getting to know Leah through long-distance conversations and shared intention. Each time we spoke, light blue would come to me – clear, steady, and rooted. It felt like her presence: grounded in purpose, aligned in mission, and deeply anchored in what matters most. I felt her love as a wife and mother of three as the quiet source of her strength – the foundation beneath her will. As I began painting, gold entered the canvas. Gold felt like her light – her courage, her voice, and her willingness to turn her diagnosis into awareness. Leah has spoken openly about living with stage IV lung cancer as a never-smoker, reminding others, as she says, “If you have lungs, you can develop lung cancer.” That truth now fuels her work as co-founder of the Young Lung Cancer Initiative, where she continues to build connection and visibility for young adults and families navigating this disease. In this piece, she emerges as a golden drop of luminosity. When one drop touches still water, it creates ripples. The radiance surrounding the drop reflects the movement her presence continues to create – awareness, support, and community. This painting honors how one voice, rooted in truth, expands awareness and brings light to spaces long left unseen.