Barbara Snorkeling at the Lake
South Woodville, Maine ~ 2020
Oil on Canvas
30" x 24"
Born in February 1985, a healthy rambunctious and overall normalchild, Barbara spent time playing in the dirt, joining in softball games, and riding bikes. Barbara retained semi good grades all throughout school. She was well known for her ability to draw. After being accepted to a few colleges, she decided that she would actually take a year off in between and travel. Barbara’s travels found her living in the United States Virgin Islands working as a bar back andwaitress. She was having the time of her life! Then one day in 2011 she woke up and realized she couldn’t walk. She crawled around and when she finally could; her foot on the right side would constantly drag. She immediately flew home to Maine where her life changed.
Barbara was diagnosed with NF1. She had thousands of internal tumors, two in particular were in her cervical spine and had caused almost a full spinal cord impingement. Since that day, Barbara has had seven surgeries. NF has left her weak on her right side and she can no longer hold a pencil to draw. Her motto is “Life is beautiful even when it’s not.” Barbara lives in a small town where NF is not well known. Every year she gathers reading material and flyers and passes them out to all of the physician’s offices in her area.She receives care at Mass General in Boston and is active with NF Northeast and the Children’s Tumor Foundation.
Barbara was diagnosed with NF1. She had thousands of internal tumors, two in particular were in her cervical spine and had caused almost a full spinal cord impingement. Since that day, Barbara has had seven surgeries. NF has left her weak on her right side and she can no longer hold a pencil to draw. Her motto is “Life is beautiful even when it’s not.” Barbara lives in a small town where NF is not well known. Every year she gathers reading material and flyers and passes them out to all of the physician’s offices in her area.She receives care at Mass General in Boston and is active with NF Northeast and the Children’s Tumor Foundation.