My name is Yana Frank and I am a founder of this project.
5 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. In spite of the most
pessimistic medical prognosis, I am still, as you can see, alive.
I am free of metastases and my tumor markers are normal.

Oncologists and surgeons did everything they could to save me.
But a lot of credit must go to Dr Carl Simonton, whose book Getting Well Again was my guide to a fight for my life through ... DRAWING. I kept something akin to an online diary documenting my adventures. Many appealed for help and asked me to show the samples of my work, others sent me their own. In a duel with the illness it seems that you are alone; it is so important to see that this is not so. It is vital to share your successes with others and see how they are coping with the problem.

This web page is created for those who are ready to try. I invite artists, designers, illustrators and anyone who wants to draw; even those who have never tried to before. This project is for a person, who is prepared to come into the battle for his or her wellness. We are glad to see people who want to provide support to others through a brilliant idea or simply good mood. This includes relatives, friends and acquaintances. You can help strangers as well, those who are in struggling now.

Where to begin? Just take the first step and, inspired by others, draw a picture in our sketchbook. And if you are already an experienced fighter, please share your experiences and knowledge. In response, you will receive the support and acclaim of the rest of our whole army.

If you already know my story (and it is merely one of many) and are prepared to draw, please read the rules in rubricsWhat to draw and How to participate. Also don't forget to read our Frequently Asked Questions section. .

For the readers who are interested in the details, here is an unabridged version of my story.

In November 2003 I found out that I have cancer in an advanced stage. Without hesitation doctors prepared me for the worst. Then a year and a half of chemotherapy. After that -- three complicated surgeries. Premature termination of chemo perceived to be life threatening... Upon completion of chemotherapy I changed my life seeking a new way, trying to do everything in another way. In the light (if this is a light) of the diagnosis I started to understand the necessity of preserving my health and strength. I am happier than before. I try to return to the joy of creation. Doctors, though, advised me to forget about working for big shops, and I myself don’t strive to be a creative director and be responsible for hundreds of workers and millions of dollars. Never again, I said to myself.

Our good intentions…. 8 months have passed and something terrible happened. During the routine checkup they found metastases in my liver. I couldn’t believe it! It could not be true! Why? After all, I went through every conceivable therapy, I did all I could to preserve my health, and most importantly – I was so optimistic, I believed! I felt better and better every day, I regained some weight and even started to go to the gym…. "Alas," the oncologist sighed: “This is a classical case. It seems that we did not do enough chemotherapy. The patient’s condition, as she perceives it, is not bad at all at this point, she even puts back some weight lost during the initial treatment, she’s feeling well…. A common story.”

She also told me, of course, that they will try everything possible, but the possible itself is not much. Before sending me to the tens of other checkups she gave me a book Getting Well Again by Carl Simonton. “You are an artist, she said, maybe it can help”. And added: “It would help if you believe in your strength. The belief is the most powerful cure. To fight, not to give up is that what radically influences any therapy."

While in the countless hospitals waiting for the tomography, X-rays, conferences of specialists, I was reading the book. Simonton tells about the possibilities of a personal contribution into the battle with oncological illness via drawing. I must confess, that at a first glance, there was nothing special in the book. Simonton provided a lot of statistics, comparing two kinds of patients – those who are ready to clash with cancer and others who prefer surrender cowering in tears and subject to panic. Statistics show that the fighters' chances of survival are orders of magnitude higher regardless of medical prognosis.

The battle, Simonton writes, not only helps to survive but also to endure the ordeals of the treatments. Chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries demoralize and weaken the human being. One cannot just lie down expecting an end, but must attempt to eat at least something, drink, move without wasting prescious remnants of livelihood on spleen, sobbing and fears.

I believed him. Maybe it was the only straw that I was able to hold on to. After all, visual art is my occupation. I started to draw immediately ... only to run into a number of huge disappointments. First, it turned out that paintings are out of the question: I could barely steady a pencil on paper. Second, I constantly found myself in hospitals where one is not allowed to use paint. Third, half of my time was spent lying in bed, not the best place for drawing. My first attempts inspired nothing but bitterness and helplessness. “Damn," I thought "I am a professional…. Then what can others do?”

But gradually I found techniques that allowed me to draw even in my weakened state. I started to draw and paste collages in sketch-books. Instead of glue I used scotch tape and paper-clips, all the magazines and newspapers around me went into action. The form and techniques didn’t matter much. It was important that I was immersed into the creative process with confidence that I am fighting and I will be victorious.

But the clouds were gathering over me. Six weeks later the doctors came to conclusion, that my last hope is a horrible surgery. They decided to remove three quarters of my liver and informed me that after such an intervention there is a chance that the liver will fail. But the threat of being devoured by metastases in the next two weeks was even higher. Prior to the surgery the doctors came in with the sympathetic "I am sorries". They promised to do everything in their power but didn’t hide the truth from me. I, on the other hand, was sitting embracing the book and shared my euphoria with them: “Don’t worry, I’ll be alright!” At some point they exchanged glances, they eyes clear read: “It’s understandable. She couldn’t cope with a shock and went mad. Well, this is not the worst form of insanity”

The story, as you surmised, doesn’t end here.

When I woke up after the surgery I started to hear something interesting in doctor’s dialog. “It’s weird”, “Something really odd happened here”, “It seems, she is rather lucky”.
Before long they told me what they had seen. Once they had opened my stomach they found that metastases looked “odd”, "incorrect". Surely, it was them. Everything looked ordinary (for the metastases) in both ultrasound and tomography, but during the surgery it was clear to the naked eye that there is a reason for doubt. The whole staff was brought into the operating room. Shrugging their shoulders, the surgeons took samples and sent them to the lab for analysis. Upon completing the examination, the pathologist proclaimed: "I would not recommend removal of half of the liver when metastasases are clearly dying. And overall, my good Sirs, why did you open this patient up if her chemotherapy is clearly successful?" He was right in his own way, the only problem was that my chemotherapy treatment was stopped long before.

They sewed up my stomach at their own risk. Everything was left untouched. Days following the surgery I was checked out every week as they were waiting for new plot twists. But nothing changed. Since then they see me rather often over the course of some years. The slightest suspicion – and I go through many radiological and other tests. A few times we had grounds for new coils of panic, but every time everything ended in my favor. After every tomography the doctors discuss whether to undertake something against the metastases or not. But there is no movement. Old pictures and new ones are the same. I live.

As I mentioned before, during the illness I kept a diary on the internet and many people with similar problems wrote to me. Patients, their relatives, friends wrote to me. I answered to everyone; they informed me about their successes. There is no panacea, but there is a chance to win. Not everyone won. Now, their children continue to write to me as they need help to cope with grief.

When the number of correspondents got large enough, I’ve noticed that all the people had similar feelings. A person feels isolated, alone on the planet. You don't know where to begin, seeking one positive example, one success story…. But there are no examples, no straws, no advice, and you think that everyone is fighting alone .... or giving up alone. I founded this project so that those who want to live could begin a fight for their lives; so that those who already put up a fight could share their successes and exchange ideas; so that others, sympathetic to their cause, could help them and support them.

I have endeavored to show the value of the method for oncology. I still don’t know if it can be effective for other problems, but I assume that this method is universal and the most important thing is an active, stubborn battle for your own physical and mental wellness. I invite everyone to participate, irrespective of illness or age. I’ll share all my recipes, all of my experience and knowledge with you. Participants of the project will see their work published here.

As a classic said,
Just to be on the first step
Should make you happy and proud.
To have come this far is no small achievement.
What have you done is a glorious thing.
Even this first step
Is a long way above the ordinary world.

Kavafy

Everyone who made first step is getting closer to the victory for one step. Showing to others this step, one inspires to the next steps not only others but oneself as well. Welcome to the world of winners!

Here you are desired guest.