Name
Natalie Gravitt

Brain Tumor Type
Craniopharyngioma

Date of Diagnosis
Diagnosed at age 8

Age Group (If you are a caregiver/family member please check Caregiver/Family Member)
Adult: 21 and over

Category
Photography/Digital Art

Artist Statement (include type of art, techniques & materials used, what it means to you)
This was made by me drawing on a piece of paper for my rough draft and then on my ipad with an apple pencil on an app called Sketchbook. This digital drawing has so much meaning to me so first of I thought that when I was diagnosed with Craniopharyngioma I was so scared and my Momma told me this " You know how a butterfly is a caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly well the caterpillar doesn't know what's happening but it just knows it has to build it's chrysalis and then when it wakes up it's a butterfly and it's still like it was before but now it has wings it remembers when it was a caterpillar but now it's a butterfly and it learns new things everyday that's what this is like baby now it's your turn to become the butterfly" nowif you knew me when I was little I absolutely LOVED butterflies and still do so when she told me that it made it all seem not so scary I had to re learn to walk write and go to the bathroom and when I got frustrated my mom would remind of her saying you remember your old life but now that you're a butterfly you are just re learning how to do things as a butterfly that really helped me through so much. Now onto the I'm when I was becoming older I couldn't go to School or do so called Normal things and I told my family I'm just the sick one anywhere I go and they would remind me No you're not you're artistic, you are our sister said to me by my siblings, our daughter said to me by my parents, our granddaughter said to me by my grandparents I thought all that defined me was my sickness and as it turned out it didn't it was a part of me but not what Defined me and as my momma always told me You aren't just one thing you are a wonderfully made soul made up of so many parts just like a puzzle You are Natalie and there is no one out there like you my love. I love my family so much I just wanted to show that I'm Natalie and there is no other just like me and I want to spread awareness for Craniopharyngioma and Brain tumors and that's why the ribbon is in the middle of the butterfly because just as a butterfly transforms so does a brain tumor such as Craniopharyngioma transform You.

Bio (include your age, tumor type and date of diagnosis)
Hello all My name is Natalie Gravitt, I am 27 years of age all though I still feel like a little girl I still like to watch Disney and cuddle with my stuffed animals and my peys. I was diagnosed with Craniopharyngioma at the age of 8 years old. I was diagnosed On November 8th 8 days after my birthday and it's been a long fought battle that I still fight to this very day with the help of my family, friends, animals, Doctors and above all God. I have been very sick since the age of seven and I ha e spent many many times in the hospital and one of the things I've always loved to do was draw and color it's something me and my whole family could do together even when I had to stay in the ICU by myself and my family could only visit we would start coloring until they had to leave that way we had something special to do when they got back with me because that was a very hard time for me and them. I've always loved to color pictures for all my friends and family and I would always draw my nurses and Drs pictures because I Love making people happy and I like making people happy with my art. I would love if you'd give some votes because it helps support the Raymond A. Wood foundation and they are parents of a kid who had Craniopharyngioma just like me. I'd also like to win it would mean so very much to me. Thank You all. Much Love ~Natalie