Mighty
This piece was inspired by my sister’s experience with cancer. The purple embroidery thread is used as a representation of the Hodgkin’s lymphoma ribbon color and is used to highlight the area where the removal of her chemotherapy port left a scar on her body.
The piece is see-through, showcasing the figure of the individual wearing it. After treatment, my sister struggled to love and accept her body. The steroids she was put on caused a weight gain of 30 pounds, significantly altering her body, making it feel alien. The struggle with body image is one that unfortunately most women face, but to exist in a body that does not feel like your own must be the most excruciating form of imposter syndrome. The new body she inhabited served as a constant reminder of her illness and the lack of control she’d experienced for over a year.
While sick, you often don’t have the emotional or mental capability of processing your experience. Once her body had healed, her mind was left to deal with the psychological side effects of cancer. When treatment ceases, the world assumes that’s the end of it. For my sister, I think this was the most difficult part. While the world returned to normal, hers had irrevocably shifted. The difficulty of being a positive person, of refusing to burden others with your trauma, is that you are left to carry it alone.
The word “mighty” is spread throughout the pattern of this shirt, and has been outlined to showcase the strength I witnessed my sister embody throughout this experience.
This piece was inspired by my sister’s experience with cancer. The purple embroidery thread is used as a representation of the Hodgkin’s lymphoma ribbon color and is used to highlight the area where the removal of her chemotherapy port left a scar on her body.
The piece is see-through, showcasing the figure of the individual wearing it. After treatment, my sister struggled to love and accept her body. The steroids she was put on caused a weight gain of 30 pounds, significantly altering her body, making it feel alien. The struggle with body image is one that unfortunately most women face, but to exist in a body that does not feel like your own must be the most excruciating form of imposter syndrome. The new body she inhabited served as a constant reminder of her illness and the lack of control she’d experienced for over a year.
While sick, you often don’t have the emotional or mental capability of processing your experience. Once her body had healed, her mind was left to deal with the psychological side effects of cancer. When treatment ceases, the world assumes that’s the end of it. For my sister, I think this was the most difficult part. While the world returned to normal, hers had irrevocably shifted. The difficulty of being a positive person, of refusing to burden others with your trauma, is that you are left to carry it alone.
The word “mighty” is spread throughout the pattern of this shirt, and has been outlined to showcase the strength I witnessed my sister embody throughout this experience.
