Radiation Mask Art Finds the Beauty in Survivors' Darkest Moments

In December 2020, the Cancer Support Community AZ approached gallery director Michael Denson about a new exhibit. "It was an exciting concept where artists were given radiation masks of cancer patients and commissioned to create works of art based on the patient's story," Denson tells Popsugar. "At the time of our initial planning, my father and sister both were suffering through cancer diagnosis and treatments." While visiting his sister, Denson noticed a radiation mask sitting in the corner of her room, and asked if he could use it in the upcoming exhibit. "She kindly agreed, leaving me with the words, 'It reminds me of what I've been through.' I came back with her radiation mask, determined to capture her story as I saw it play out, as she continued her battle."

Denson used acrylic and ink on wood for the final piece, entitled "Pushing Through" — a tribute to his sister. "Like a beautiful lotus climbing, reaching, making its way through mucky waters, she pushed through. Through sadness, disappointment, isolation, pain, frustration, and innumerable unknowns, she pushed through," he says. "Unfortunately she lost her battle with cancer. But her story remains. She taught us how to keep fighting, for family, for love, for life. She taught us how to break through the dark waters and blossom in the light."

Cyndi Hardy's radiation mask art is dedicated to her mom, who died from ovarian cancer. "I created the mask so that I could tell the story of my mum while spreading awareness about ovarian cancer," she tells Popsugar. "It was a little nerve wracking since I only had one shot at it, but it was also calming at the same time. When I finished it, it felt like I had accomplished the most meaningful art piece of my life." Hardy fashioned a base out of plaster cloth, shaping the face using joint compound, and adding color with acrylic paint.

When the piece was originally displayed, Hardy wrote, "Her favorite place was the ocean, so I painted the mask in an ocean theme with the sand and waves at the bottom and deeper blue at the top." Personal touches like earrings, lilacs, and a crochet headband helped the mask feel more like Hardy's mom. "The butterflies represent the constant changing and evolving in her life," Hardy says. "The hummingbirds show that she now flies with the hummingbirds."

"Nine years ago I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer — parotid gland cancer," says artist Hélène Ninnin. After a 9.5 hour operation, Ninnin's doctor told her she needed radiation as well. "I'm a visual artist, so the first thing that came into my mind when they put on the mask was, 'When I'm healed, I'm going to make art out of radiation masks.'" Now, Ninnin crafts all kinds of sculptures out of radiation masks, including swallows, wings, and peonies. She explains that creating radiation mask art for others helps her heal as well. "I put a lot of love in it," she says. "I would love to turn something that was very hard to go through into something positive." This magical animal was made using her own radiation mask, featuring rainbow wings and glittery feathers.

"I think I'm a good example that you can make a beautiful life while you've gone through so much," Ninnin says. "You can heal in many different ways. Life is beautiful, make it your own. Do the things you love — do the things that make your heart sing."

"When I finished radiation, my team said that I could keep the mask. At the time I was pretty despondent, so I had no idea what I'd end up doing with it," says artist Kat Howell. After finding some inspiration online, Howell decided she was done letting her mask collect dust, taking it on a trip to the craft store. "The thought of reclaiming something that triggered visceral, horrific memories for me into a symbol of strength and beauty resonated," she explains, referencing her own journey with tongue cancer. The mask, titled "Fabiola", was created using pearls, spray paint, foam, and artificial floral arrangements. Howell calls the actual artistic process "quite cathartic," eventually sharing the process on TikTok.

"Seeing the mask transformed from its original form to a genuinely beautiful and unique piece of art that is also part of ME was moving. That face is MY face," Howell says. "I reclaimed what the mask is to me and what it meant for that period in my life."

Some artists seek to turn a negative experience into something beautiful, but Nicholas DeRosa, a special-effects artist in the entertainment industry, was tasked with the exact opposite. "This was easily the most challenging piece I have ever been asked to make. The person who sent this to me had a very difficult battle with cancer involving surgery [and] radiation and it really cost him so much sorrow and loss. He wanted to destroy his mask and never see or think about it again, but randomly sent it to me instead — specifically wanting the darkness of his experience represented," DeRosa says. There were no other guidelines, although DeRosa still remembers how nerve-wracking it was to cut the plastic mask apart.

"It's a very heavy piece for me and I have it displayed proudly, even though it is not my story to tell," DeRosa says. "Even though he wanted the turmoil of everything represented, I still find it a very cathartic and beautiful release of sorrow." The final piece was made with canvas, various hardware, metal wire, jute, burlap, cotton, latex, acrylic teeth, spray paint, and acrylic paint. "After seeing what I came up with, [my friend] described this as, 'exactly how it felt wearing that thing,'" DeRosa wrote in a post about the mask.

After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2017, artist Lexi Sargeant decided to undergo neurosurgery and radiation. "I still remember going in for the appointment to have my head measured, receiving the bright green mask and the matching green 'Radiation Passport' — a color scheme tied to the cancer center that became a permanent reminder of what I was going through," she tells Popsugar. "I knew from the start that I didn't want to simply dispose of the mask; it represented one of the most profound times of my life."

The idea for her radiation mask art came years later, and was largely inspired by her health journey and a meaningful gift from a family member. "My mum gave me a birthday bouquet filled with beautiful Australian native flowers. I preserved the bouquet by hanging the blooms upside down to dry on coat hangers, keeping them as a reminder of love and resilience," Sargeant says. "One day, I decided to combine those two symbols - the mask and the preserved flowers - by weaving the flowers through the holes of the radiation mask. What had once been a cold and clinical object transformed into an art piece, representing strength and survival every time I look at it."

After writing this article, Gerry contacted me and asked if I'd like to have my own mask painted. It had been sitting in my apartment, untouched, for a little over a year at that point (if my memory serves me). I had radiation on my right eye in 2022 in an effort to reduce the mysterious granuloma that had rendered me blind in 2021. While I ultimately had to have the eye removed in May of 2024, in this photo, I hold my mask as a testament to my long and arduous health journey. It's painted with eyeball flowers and eyeball butterflies, per my request. It's quite possibly the kindest gift anyone has ever given me.

Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the Health & Fitness team at Popsugar. She has over five years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.