Image by Sophie Cassar

Growing Up With Cancer is an innovative project using research and creative practice to understand the experience of having cancer during adolescence and young adulthood. Funded through an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (LP0883632), it brought together researchers, artists, advocates and clinicians at the Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine at the University of Sydney, the University of Newcastle, the Children's Hospital at Westmead, and CanTeen - the Australian Organisation for Young People Living with Cancer.

During 2010 and 2011, 27 young people participated in interviews about the nature and extent of the impact of cancer on the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Of these, 19 collaborated with artist Kris Smith or worked on their own, to produce a self-portrait that represented them and the impact of cancer on their experience of growing up.

The first of a series of exhibitions of these beautiful, poignant, strong, funny, and thought-provoking images will be launched this weekend at the Riverside Theatres, Parramatta. These exhibitions will be happening across the country in 2012 and 2013. We invite the general public to come and celebrate the creative expression of these young people's experiences of growing up with cancer.

Launch:
Date & Time: Saturday 6th of October 2012, 2pm-6pm
Where: The Riverside Theatres, Corner Church and Market Streets Parramatta.

Please note:
The exhibition will be officially opened at 4.30pm. The exhibition will run from Wednesday 25th September to Friday 12th October