A cancer-fighting artist has come up with an ingenious way to cope with her radiation treatment: by modifying her hospital gowns into fashionable garments.
Allie Olson, 40, shared photos and videos from her Radiation Runway project online as a way to stay positive and inspire others who are going through similar treatment.
The artist, from Brooklyn, New York, first discovered a lump in her breast while in quarantine in May 2020, but after she was initially told it was not cancerous, that diagnosis changed in September, after pain persisted and a surgeon removed a lump.
Allie was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, triple-negative breast cancer.
This type of cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer with lower treatment options and a high recurrence rate, meaning Allie needed to start treatment as soon as possible, Daily Mail says.
During the pandemic, Allie, who lived alone in a Brooklyn apartment, went through 16 cycles of chemotherapy, lumpectomy, and 30 radiation sessions.
Her radiation sessions began in November 2021, and each session, Allie said, drained her of energy.
During her first radiation session, Allie struggled to put on a standard hospital gown, but instead of feeling frustrated, she decided to see it as a creative challenge.
Allie modified her gown with a more moderna design, and after a woman in the waiting room laughed and radiotherapists expressed their admiration, Radiation Runway was born: the name is a humorous nod to Project Runway.
Between November 2 and January 7, 2022, when Allie completed her treatment, she would modify her dresses, taking photos and videos of the trip.
Photo: Allie Olson
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Allie shared these photos and videos on her social media pages along the way, with users around the world cheering her on.
‘I liked the challenge of using my creativity, but even more, I liked bringing a little joy and light to a difficult place and situation.’
WHAT IS TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER?
Triple-negative breast cancer is a form of the disease that has no receptors for the hormones estrogen or progesterone, or for the HER2 protein.
This makes it more difficult to treat because the tumor does not respond to these hormone or protein therapies.
Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for about 10% to 20% of all forms of the disease.
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It is usually more aggressive than other breast tumors, and patients have a worse prognosis.
The condition is more common in people under age 40 and black women. It is diagnosed through a sample of cancer cells.
Symptoms are similar to other forms of breast cancer. These may include:
- Breast lump or thickening
- Change in breast size, shape, or sensation
- Skin dimples
- Change in nipple shape
- A bloody rash or discharge from the nipple
- Swelling in the armpit
- Treatment usually includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
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