Name
Josephine Smith

Brain Tumor Type
Meningioma

Date of Diagnosis
January 12, 2021

Participant Group
Caregiver/Family Member

Category
Jewelry & Textiles

Artist Statement (include type of art, techniques & materials used, what it means to you)
This was a present that I crocheted for my mother on the 3rd anniversary of her craniotomy. The inspiration was drawn from her experience in healing from a brain tumor. My mother has always been a fighter, so the moment of her grand mal seizure, she was working her way towards heath. Through all the hardship she has made a point in finding the beauty and the good that has come out of this terrible diagnosis. Time after time she has reminded me that no matter how dark it may seem, there can always be good on the other side. Many of these good things that have come from that desperate time I must credit to my mother's intense perseverance and optimism. Even when she was tired, sick, and hurting, nothing could stop her from taking care of the ones she loves and her health.
I wanted to capture the essence of her journey, so I designed my own crochet pattern. It is a reminder of how beauty and new growth can even come out of a brain tumor and craniotomy. Just like a rose bush, if you will water, shelter, and prune it, the outcome can be more beautiful than anyone could ever imagine.
To every brain tumor survivor and supporter, don't give up.
To my mother, I love you and thank you for always persevering.

Artist Bio: Tell Us Your Story
I am a high school student who is pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. My family traveled for the first ten years of my life in a camper; a dream that my parents jumped on not long after my father recovered from his own brain surgery. We then settled down in a tiny rural community.
I was 13 when my mother had a grand mal seizure. After her surgery, I decided to take on as much of the cooking and cleaning as possible to allow my siblings and father to have more time with her. I also learned how to give her breathing treatments and medicine.
Now I work at a museum, am president of a 4-H club, and DJ at various events.