Jenna Benn Shersher

  Audre Lorde wore her labels with pride.  She’s a self-described “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” who once famously stated “Women are powerful and dangerous.” Lorde was never one to mince words.  Her writings addressed societal issues like racism, capitalism and homophobia, feminism and Black identity. Born in New York in 1934, Lorde discovered poetry […]

  America had a wakeup call this past summer, when many citizens learned about Juneteenth and the 1921 Tulsa Massacre for the first time. For Americans that experienced a “whitewashed” history experience, there is a lot of catching up to do. This is not a bad thing, as  recognizing the need for growth and pursuing

A week after Mardi Kaplan was diagnosed with breast cancer, she left for Morocco.  “Anyone who knows me knows I have major anxiety over packing for trips,” she said. “I put a lot of energy into packing instead of thinking about breast cancer.” That’s how Kaplan set the tone for her cancer journey: she wasn’t

          Briana Camilleri was a week away from her wedding day when she got a call regarding a biopsy.  “The doctor said ‘You’re getting married in a week, do you want to know?’ I said ‘Yes, I want to know.’” Camilleri had thyroid cancer.  “It was a challenge because emotionally, I

In January 2020, Suzanne Zabawsky and Linda Ann Weber sent in their Brushes with Cancer Chicago applications with one request: they be matched together.  The two go back to 1979, when they first met in college as freshmen living in the same dormitory. The two instantly connected and spent college years by each other’s side,

    Sharon Arffa had her art world and she had her psychology world. The two never intersected and she figured it would always be that way. Until she was introduced to Twist Out Cancer.  Arffa studied both psychology and art in college but eventually had to pick between two loves.  “I loved it,” she

  While Kathleen Brown was going through her cancer journey, she was completely overwhelmed by get-well cards. They came in droves and collected in Hefty bags. There were so many that some were never opened.  Brown was 13 and a week away from beginning eighth grade when she was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare

Elisha-Rio P. Apilado’s first Brushes with Cancer was as an artist. Now, she’s seeing the other side of the experience as an Inspiration.  Currently in school for art therapy, Apilado thought her talents could be useful as a 2019 Chicago Brushes with Cancer artist. Additionally, she had a very personal connection to the cause. In

Melissa Burgess was up against her biggest challenge to date as an artist: creating a piece for a mother experiencing the most profound loss possible.  As a Brushes with Cancer Chicago participant, Burgess was tasked with capturing Staci Greenfield’s cancer journey with her daughter, Juliana.  Diagnosed with advanced neuroblastoma in 2018, Juliana – who affectionately

  Total opposites often make for the best pairings, and that’s what happened when Twist Out Cancer matched Inspiration Joni Goldstein and Artist Nancy Rosen.  “Joni is very bedazzled. I am not bedazzled, I am the opposite,” Rosen said. The two connected instantly and found out they have more in common than they thought. A