My cultural awakening: a Turner painting helped me come to terms with my cancer diagnosis
Fear and feelings of intense vulnerability caused me to retreat into my shell, until I saw myself in an unlikely feature in one of the British master’s prints
TL;DR
- The author was diagnosed with thyroid cancer unexpectedly during a scan for a minor injury.
- Despite assurances of a high survival rate, the diagnosis brought on intense fear and vulnerability, leading to social withdrawal.
- A visit to a J.M.W. Turner exhibition, specifically the print 'Mount St Gothard', provided a moment of profound recognition in the depiction of an exhausted pack horse.
- Seeing the horse's struggle offered the author a sense of shared experience and permission to allow support and process her emotions.
- Following surgeries and awaiting further treatment, the author is recovering and re-engaging with creative aspects of her life, feeling inspired by the painting's imagery.