Recently, while helping friends deal with their fears, surviving cancer, I came across awe-inspiring work done by my dear friend Rukhsana. I have known her since our college days, and it amazed me that she remained just as intense, loving and charismatic even at the most trying moments in her life. This was the time, she had to fight her own cancer demons. It wasn’t easy as she had seen her husband succumb to the disease. Her cancer had opened up a window of emotions in her, disbelief, despair, self-pity, anger, agony and resignation but the light of hope always remained within her. She looked for a way to release and share these heart-felt emotions while she pursued on to lead a family life and her talent, aspirations and of course her paint brushes found a quaint corner in her heart. Through her paintings, she has released her emotional turmoil and how the little rays of hope brightened her life to give her that incredible strength to fight harder, for her children, for herself. Her struggle to rekindle that all-pervasive hope to recover and find joy is but mind-boggling and clearly revealed in each of her paintings.

To connect with Rukhsana about her paintings, do check out her work on flickr, at Ruksi’s Work – My Journey Of Hope

Rukhsana’s paintings are for sale and part of her sales go towards Prashanti Cancer Care Mission, a support group that provides pecuniary help for Cancer treatment to economically challenged patients.