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WEST JORDAN — A unique piece of art created by a Utah mom with cancer is inspiring people who have had loved ones with the same insufferable disease.
Alyssa Tallent, 30, struggles to express her emotions through words, she said, but creating art is one medium in which her feelings shine through beautifully.
In September 2021, Tallent began experiencing unprecedented neck pain. Her doctor suspected it was due to issues with her posture and suggested she see a physical therapist. But after visiting with the physical therapist, she was led to get an MRI.
When the MRI didn't show concerning results, she began to see a chiropractor, which did help for awhile. However, after about a month-and-a-half, her pain greatly worsened.
Following another MRI, some tests, scans and a biopsy, she learned it was stage 4 melanoma that is affecting her bones, her liver, her lungs and her neck. It's been a long journey, and luckily, her current treatment seems to be effective.
When she was first diagnosed with the cancer, she began working on an art piece she titled, "Metastatic," which features a somber-looking Tallent with dandelions growing out of her body where the cancer is affecting her.
"The reason I chose dandelions is they're kind of like a weed, but there's also kind of something hopeful about them at the same time," Tallent said. "You make wishes on dandelions and stuff like that, so that's kind of why I chose it. … It's spreading like a weed, but then maybe there's something hopeful and positive at the same time."
One of the hopeful things about cancer that Tallent has noticed is how many people reached out to help her when she got diagnosed.
"I got so many people bringing me meals, I got a lot of people just like sending gifts and reaching out to me and just stuff like that," Tallent said.
Something else that brings her hope is how much better she is feeling now compared to when she was first diagnosed.
Tallent wasn't expecting much of a response when she put out "Metastatic," but she was pleasantly surprised by how many people told her they were touched by it.
"I try to make mostly positive stuff, but my piece is a little sad, but with some hope kind of stored in there to hopefully make people feel that way," Tallent said.
Tallent's art can be purchased on her Etsy page.
