Using Art to Find Hope During Cancer

Nell Nations, a chief radiation therapist at Texas Oncology, was no stranger to cancer. Growing up, Nell watched her dad fight Hodgkin lymphoma, followed by her mom with breast cancer. After their passing, she decided to pursue a career in cancer care – inspired by the empathy exemplified by her parents' care teams. Her relationship with this disease soon changed when what she thought was chronic constipation led her to become a stage II colon cancer patient within the very walls where she worked. She turned to Praveen Reddy, M.D., hematologist and medical oncologist at Texas Oncology–Wichita Falls Cancer Center, who was now not only her colleague, but cancer doctor. Throughout treatment, Nell praises her Texas Oncology peers for their ability to provide comprehensive cancer care close to home – and her two dogs. An avid artist, Nell also used art as a form of therapy to motivate herself after her diagnosis. As a tribute to those who supported her, she painted a fiberglass horse statue, Hope, and installed it outside the center to inspire new and returning cancer patients. Hear Nell’s story and how she continues to use her love for art to bring hope to others in the cancer community.TexasOncology.com/podcast