After a long career writing about cancer research, Darrell E. Ward became a patient. His prostate cancer journey inspired countless thoughts and emotions — and one amazing piece of art. Below, he shares the story behind his work, “A Survivor’s Journey,” which he showcased at The Ohio State University’s Health Sciences Art Show. At age 77 I learned that I had advanced prostate cancer that had spread to many of my bones. “A Survivor’s Journey” is my attempt to encapsulate thoughts and experiences I had as I followed my path through diagnosis, treatment and afterward. That path can be uphill and rocky. Survivors must live one day at a time and cope with what comes along. Fears will likely arise that the survivor must overcome with courage and hope. Thankfully my treatment eliminated nearly all the metastatic tumors in my body, but a stubborn one remained in my right arm near the shoulder. I accepted three radiation treatments to reduce it. However, I would have to wear a tight-fitting mask of sturdy plastic mesh — the centerpiece of the artwork. The mask would be firmly bolted down to anchor my face and shoulder in an exact position for each session. Here, the mask represents my fear. I feared I would not endure its unrelenting confinement for each 20-minute session. I chose not to take an anti-anxiety drug to calm myself; deep down I wanted to deal with this fear directly. Along the way, I encountered Eleanor Roosevelt’s definition of courage: “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror, I can take the next thing that comes along.’ … You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Those words helped me endure the mask. And, they reminded me of the need for courage and hope — represented in the piece by origami flowers directed toward the shoulder tumor. The flowers along the path remind me that hope and courage help to cope with things that may arise during this journey: the unexpected (represented by a stone that conceals a fossilized clam), the uncertainties and unknowns (a gnarl of plant roots extending upwards), critical decision points (a ‘Y’ in the road) and losses that may occur (fallen buttons). I also included acorns to represent the critical quality of acceptance — acceptance of the diagnosis, of inevitable uncertainties and of changes along the way. Difficult it can be, but acceptance is essential — along with courage and hope — for moving forward, for the future, for life. For me and many others, cancer is treatable but not curable. Day by day our journey continues. Fears may arise, but we move forward with courage and hope, and, if we are fortunate, with renewed appreciation for life, for friends and for those we love. “A Survivor’s Journey” would not be what it is without the contributions of several experienced origami artists who believed in this project and provided the flowers (and butterflies!): Sheree Green, Tim Tucker, Karen Tucker and Shayera Jakota. Darrell E. Ward retired after a long and esteemed career as a science writer at Ohio State, where he worked closely with colleagues to share important information about cancer care and research at the OSUCCC – James.