KINGSTON, N.Y. (February 1, 2017) -- A Stage 3 ovarian cancer survivor will give an illustrated talk about her bold, eye-catching, 175-square-foot cancer-inspired mosaic at HealthAlliance Hospital: Mary's Avenue Campus, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, World Cancer Day.
The talk and exhibit will be at the mosaic, located on the hospital's Ground Floor, near a side entrance with a blue awning, next to the Thomas A. Dee Cancer Center.
Artist Susan York, 51, of Shokan -- a member of the Linda Young Ovarian Cancer Support Group, run by the HealthAlliance Oncology Support Program -- will share the process she used in selecting images for her crowdfunded "Gathering Goodness Mosaic," on display at the hospital until March 15. She had received more than 600 photographic submissions, 450 pages of text and 80 musical submissions from more than 200 backers.
After her 2012 surgery and 2013 chemotherapy, she asked the backers to share inspirations about what inspired peace, love and joy in their lives.
From the submissions, she made 108 individual canvas paintings, reflecting "the fullness of life between birth and death," she says. The largest paintings, titled "A Long Walk on Higgins Beach" and "Support, Comfort and Triumph," are 30 inches high by 24 inches wide; the smallest, titled "The Smallest is the Greatest," is 6 inches square. The whole mosaic is 5 feet high and 35 feet wide.
"The overall piece forms three sets of hands, representing the three feelings I asked people to submit inspirations around: peace, love and joy," York says.
"A lot of people sent rainbows," she adds. "The rainbows became a repetitive theme."
York's talk will include a slide presentation and a sharing of excerpts from her accompanying book, "Gathering Goodness," which contains essays and more than 200 color illustrations from the mosaic. She will also answer questions about specific paintings within the work.
The exhibit is the latest of many HealthAlliance Hospital exhibitions showcasing Ulster County artists.
"I hope the exhibit can lift the spirits of patients, staff members, visitors and volunteers who may be struggling with their own challenges," York says.
She is also committed to raising awareness of early ovarian cancer signs, she says. Information about ovarian cancer and its symptoms will be available at the event in English and Spanish.
The "Gathering Goodness" book, along with posters, mugs and journals from the mosaic project, will be available for sale. Net sales proceeds will benefit the Oncology Support Program, based at the Herbert H. and Sofia P. Reuner Cancer Support House, 80 Mary's Ave. in Kingston, across from the Mary's Avenue Campus.
World Cancer Day -- taking place under the tagline "We can. I can." -- explores how everyone, collectively and individually, can help make a difference in the fight against cancer.
For more information about the Oncology Support Program's comprehensive support services, including the Linda Young Ovarian Cancer Support Group, visit hahv.org or call 845.339.2071.