Global AYA Arts Competition Submissions

Artist’s Statement

"This piece reflects what I feel about every time my “cancerversary” comes around. I call it Phoenix Day because I believe a part of me died that day. However, Maya Angelou said it best, “and still I rise.” I am trying to live my best life while advocating for my rare cancer diagnosis. I still rise to the occasion by educate young minds while advocating for change. The Phoenix is my favorite symbol of resiliency. Phoenixes have to die to thrive, which is exactly what most AYA cancer patients have to do because of their usually late stage of diagnosis."

Judges' Reflections

“The piece that moved me the most was Still I Rise. I felt a profound sense of soul and a deep love for life radiating from this work. It's powerful, poignant, and emotionally resonant. I was drawn to its sense of innocence, paired with a compelling message of resilience and perseverance. This painting transcends boundaries—age, gender, social status, and race—connecting on a deeply human level. At first, I found myself wondering about the artist’s age and the circumstances under which the piece was created, but I resisted learning their name. I wanted my reaction to remain pure, unshaped by identity. These artists are clearly on a journey of self-discovery, navigating emotional and physical challenges with remarkable bravery. I send my prayers and heartfelt admiration to these courageous individuals, for both their strength and their beautiful artistic expression.”

Artist’s Statement

"My digital artwork represents my cancer journey with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia w/ Ph+. I was diagnosed when I was 25; now 30. During these past years I’ve lost my mother, my house, my career, and have been diagnosed with a chemo induced mental disorder. I used five birds, representing the five years I’ve been working towards being cancer free. As well as, shades of orange and yellow (the ALL cancer and Childrenhood ribbon colors) with B cell spots surrounding everything. The background is chaotic due to my feeling of the uncertainties of life and my journey to find myself again."

Artist’s Statement

"This vibrant creation is a tribute to my journey through pain, healing, and resilience. Each flower represents the strength that blossomed through adversity, while the central ribbon stands as a symbol of courage and hope. The beads woven across the piece reflect the many wounds my heart has weathered—each one a quiet testament to endurance and survival. Delicate butterflies evoke transformation, fluttering around a heart blooming with life and color. Together, these elements weave a story of strength rising from within—a reminder that even through life’s darkest seasons, beauty can still take root and flourish"

Artist’s Statement 

"This vibrant creation is a tribute to my journey through pain, healing, and resilience. Each flower represents the strength that blossomed through adversity, while the central ribbon stands as a symbol of courage and hope. The beads woven across the piece reflect the many wounds my heart has weathered—each one a quiet testament to endurance and survival. 

Delicate butterflies evoke transformation, fluttering around a heart blooming with life and color. Together, these elements weave a story of strength rising from within—a reminder that even through life’s darkest seasons, beauty can still take root and flourish." 

Artist’s Statement

"At the age of 16 I lost my memory but was able to retain musical memories. This piece of art represents my love and connection to music."

Artist’s Statement

"My artwork was inspired from the lyrics of Youth by Daughter; which, in my world, highlights survivors guilt.

When creating art, I favour using an alchemy of spray paints, displaying depth and texture, posca pens for precision and paints for blending, while scattering gold leaf around the “survivor’s” head. This creates a crown, captivating royalty/luck while tears emote the bittersweet feeling survivors experience.

The blue x-ray skeleton links back to the hundreds of scans patients must endure throughout their lives post diagnosis. Contrasting blue and red separates both worlds, while the subtle continuation between pieces brings both tragic stories together."

Artist’s Statement

"Losing my hair due to chemotherapy has been a difficult aspect of my ovarian cancer treatment. It affects me every day as I look at myself in the mirror. In this art piece, I incorporated photos from when my hair first started to fall out and clippings from educational materials I received at the start of treatment. I included the color teal to represent ovarian cancer." 

Artist’s Statement

"My name is Thomas Bauer and I’ve fought cancer 5 times. My last and toughest fight was following a bone marrow transplant. During my recovery, I found myself expressing my thoughts through painting. This piece represents my toughest fight against cancer, my final fight where I finished 5-0. The portrait is myself in my hospital gown ripping away the radiation mask, the 12 years of struggles and fighting, and overcoming fears and mental and physical

obstacles. I’m proud to say I’m now cancer free and am glad to be able to submit my artwork to your organization." 

Artist’s Statement

"The state of having control of your independence and have it lost because of cancer, to have faith on the people around you supporting you. Without them refilling, I couldn’t be strong for all the treatments. “It takes a village to raise a child but so does for saving one life."

Artist’s Statement

"This abstract piece uses acrylic paint and household items. As a music therapist I have always been uncomfortable with creating visual art. I used this opportunity to reflect on my experience in 'unknown territory', using colours I found calming. Whilst creating these pieces I reflected on the unknown AYA's and families feel during their journey and sometimes the unknown I feel trying to support them. As the pieces progressed I felt more comfortable in managing that 'unknown' feeling and found the creative process reassuring and soothing." 

Artist’s Statement

"Working with Cancer patients I felt I was working with the child and their family, in their home. At times that was challenging and not as boundaried as it might be if it were in the therapist's studio on a one- on-one interaction. Siblings, parents, grandparents were often part of the relationship which broadened the interaction. While it was a rich and nurturing environment it also spread the engagement with the client quite thinly. My artwork conveys that sense of intention, outside influences on the interaction and the blending of both."

Artist’s Statement

"Every patient knows the bell. It waits quietly at the edge of pain, of hope. If you’re lucky—if you survive—you ring it. But it’s more than a sound. For me, it marked the rebirth of everything: color, breath, laughter. A second life folded into the first. This drawing isn’t just a memory—it’s a tribute to that quiet room where children fight battles too big for their bodies, where joy and fear exist side by side. I rang the bell once. I believe everyone deserves to. This piece is for them—for us—for second chances, for second lives."

Artist’s Statement

"My piece should be viewed as a graph. With the X axis being time and the Y axis being the strength of emotion.

Soon after diagnosis, emotions were high. This is represented by the shape of the graph, like a wave. A tsunami. I was drowning in my feelings. Over time the intensity of the emotions has diminished.

The individual pieces represent different emotions. In the beginning my emotions felt huge, with sharp edges that jabbed at me harshly.

While the fragments have become smaller, with edges smoothed by time and therapy, they will never go away entirely."

Artist’s Statement

"Shayna was in search of healing. Diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at 23 in 2022, and metastatic breast cancer in 2024, she was struggling to accept the new reality of being stage 4. For her 3rd cancer anniversary, she wanted a photoshoot to honor her strength, beauty, and resilience. I had creative freedom with most shots; others followed her vision, incorporating deeply personal items: her brain radiation mask, breast radiation gown, pill bottles, insurance forms, and surgery scars. Each represented what cancer has taken and what she still carries, now living in treatment for the rest of her life." 

Artist’s Statement

"In tarot, the moon is a card of imagination and illusion. It represents moving forward into the unknown and all the things our mind creates. My experience throughout early survivorship is exactly that, a journey into the darkness where the unknown was filled by my own anxiety with terrors. But my imagination was also the light that kept me going in the dark. Stories, books, and tabletop roleplaying games kept me connected to the people around me and were the happiest part of my week. The Moon is also the 19th card in the major arcana which is how old I was when I was diagnosed. Cancer wasn’t over for me when treatment ended."