Name
Eugenie Hsu

Age Group (If you are a caregiver/family member please check Caregiver/Family Member)
Caregiver/Family Member

Category
Drawing/Painting/Printmaking/Chalk Art

Artist Statement (include type of art, techniques & materials used, what it means to you)
This is an oil on canvas (16”x20”) painting entitled, “Forbidden Fruit” because it represents food (high sugar dessert) that is considered not friendly (and even taboo) to a hypothalamic obesity and hyperphagia-lifestyle.

As a caregiver to my son who was diagnosed with craniopharyngioma, we have had to navigate a lot of issues around food and diet. It has been a very painful and challenging ordeal having to treat food with so many restrictions. This is especially true because I grew up in a Chinese family where sharing food was an expression of love and eating was always a happy topic of conversation and an important part of social activity. Hypothalamic obesity changed all of that after my son had his Craniopharyngioma diagnosis and surgery.

While food is no longer something our family can enjoy with great abandon, I can always paint (food)! I began painting 7 months ago after starting to draw in February 2022. As a beginner, I find great delight in creating drawings and paintings and I especially love getting lost in the process because time stands still when I am drawing and painting.

When I am not losing myself in drawing and painting and other creative endeavors, I am happily serving as the board chairperson for the Raymond A. Wood Foundation.


Bio (include your age, tumor type and date of diagnosis)
I am the caregiver to my son who was diagnosed with Craniopharyngioma when he was eight years old in 2011. He is 20 years old now.