 |
Daisy Friedman, who received a liver/small bowel transplant at The Nebraska Medical Center, is pictured in this painting by Mark Gilbert. Friedman nicknamed Gilbert “Shrek” because of his Scottish accent. This and several other works Gilbert completed during a two-year stint as UNMC’s artist-in-residence will be on display at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha from Dec. 12 through Feb. 21. |
Gilbert, a Scottish artist, composed the works that make up the exhibit while serving as UNMC’s artist-in-residence for two years.
During his time at UNMC, Gilbert drew portraits of many different patients and their caregivers.
The patients, who included children and adults, were dealing with a variety of health promotion and illness situations from childbirth to medical conditions such as AIDS, head and neck cancer or some sort of organ transplant. Most of the collection will be on display at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts through Feb. 21.
Today we feature an essay by Joey Hoffman, the mother of Daisy Friedman. Gilbert painted Friedman, who received a liver/small bowel transplant at The Nebraska Medical Center.
When my 5 ½-year-old daughter Daisy met Shrek (a.k.a. Mark Gilbert), she was smitten. His charming Scottish brogue reminded her so much of the big-screen ogre that we nicknamed him. One year later after working with the artist, she still knows whom she prefers.
“He is more nicer than the (movie character) Shrek,” Daisy said of Gilbert.
He also said Gilbert has nicer hair and a nicer face than Shrek.
Given Daisy’s humor, charm and incredible life force, most people are stunned when they hear her medical history. On July 20, 2006, Daisy had a small bowel, liver and pancreas transplant at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Daisy has survived seven months in the neonatal intensive care unit, dozens of blood transfusions (her first was at two-weeks-old), countless surgeries and, among other complications, P.T.L.D., a cancerous condition that required four months of chemotherapy.
When asked to join this remarkable project, I was honored. Truly. What a blessing, for Daisy’s life had been long been overshadowed by illness, pokes and prods, tests and re-tests — all necessarily, of course, and without complaint on Daisy’s part. Her body was not quite hers.
In “Shrek’s” bright, chalky studio — not far from operating and in-patient rooms — we celebrated her body with bright colors (mostly pink!), her mind (we all bantered like old pals) and beautiful spirit.
Each time Daisy sat for her portrait, I watched this magnificent artist discover my daughter. I watched my daughter sit, poised, her old soul shining through her sparkly blue eyes. With the deepest gratitude, I’d think, “We made it this far.”
For all that we have been given, I feel privileged to give back through this project. Daisy has helped create a dialogue between medical professionals, families and the larger world. I hope people will pull the camera back and see the larger picture and be educated and enlightened about the humanity in us all.
UNMC Today will feature another essay in this series on Tuesday, Dec. 2.