As the 2006 winner of the Lilly Oncology on Canvas: Expressions of a Cancer Journey International Art Competition and Exhibition, Linda Dibblee won 10,000 euros to donate to the charity of her choice. She split the prize money between two charitable organizations: the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation and the Jennifer S. Fallick Cancer Support Center. According to a press release from Eli Lilly, Dibblee is a mother of three children and in October 2004 was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her acrylic painting "Hair Again" was chosen from more than 2,000 submissions from 43 countries. In the press release she says the painting symbolizes "the end of my cancer treatment and the hope and joy that follows."
The contest, which was first held in 2004 and an entry from which appeared on the cover of AJN's March 2006 supplement on the late and long-term effects of cancer care, is a biennial competition. The winning pieces from 2004 toured the world in 2005 and 2006, and those from the 2006 contest will be on exhibit from 2007 through 2008. There were 36 winners in total, chosen from the following categories: acrylic, oil, pastel, photography, watercolor, and "other" ("which included one-dimensional mixed media," according to the press release). The selections were based on "artwork and narratives that best depict what gives the cancer journey meaning." To see the entries from the 2004 contest, visit http://www.lillyoncology.com and click on the "Lilly on Canvas" icon.
The painting on this page, "Leaving Pain Away," won the prize for best watercolor by an artist or art student. See page 58 for "The Long Soak," which won for best oil by a health care provider and best overall oil painting. Dibblee says of the role of art in healing, "Medicine alone is not enough to get you through cancer.-Dana Carey, associate editor