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Cancer Thrivers Go Forth
A luncheon, a mural, a memory.
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The new Thrivers' mural created by artist Gail Rosenbloom Kaplan
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20 July 10 • 2014
ometimes art reflects the
solitude of existence, as
in the lonely paintings of
Edward Hopper. And sometimes art
is about community and everything
good that can come from working
together.
The Jewish Community Center
of Metropolitan Detroit's Cancer
Thrivers Network for Jewish Women
will host a luncheon on Friday,
July 18, that will feature guest
speaker Dr. Allen S. Lichter, CEO
of the American Society of Clinical
Oncology, as well as the dedication
of a new mural created by artist Gail
Rosenbloom Kaplan, along with
dozens of members of the group.
The colorful mural recalls the life of
Cancer Thrivers Network co-founder
Patti Nemer, who died last year, and
celebrates all Thrivers.
At the heart of the work is a tree
and gold doves, with a border of 44
separate squares, each picturing one
of the seven species (wheat, barley,
figs, grapes, olive, pomegranate
and dates) from the Land of Israel.
Kaplan made the intricate design,
and then members of the Cancer
Thrivers used sand in 42 different
colors to fill in the images. Kaplan
describes putting together the border
as like working on a puzzle, where
"each square tells a story" of the per-
son who made it.
Kaplan, of Farmington Hills, fre-
quently works on community art
projects at schools, hospitals, with
senior citizens and, most recently,
with a Girl Scout troop seeking to
honor the memory of the children
killed at Sandy Hook Elementary
School. She believes strongly in "the
power of art to teach and the power
of art to heal." Nowhere is this more
evident than in community projects
because everyone can make a contri-
bution, Kaplan said. Even the person
most convinced he/she has no talent,
from the youngest participant to the
oldest, "everyone gets excited" and
"everyone takes ownership?'
For the Thrivers' mural, each guest
was asked to choose and design
one piece that would be part of the
picture, now housed permanently
at the JCC in West Bloomfield, and
also to create another to take home.
The theme of the work is the name
of a Torah portion: Lech Lecha or
"Go Forth?' which both reflects
Patti's character because "she was
very optimistic and had a positive
approach to life and dealing with
cancer?' Kaplan said, and also the
group, which works to "go forth in
strength?'
"For me, Patti was the personifi-
cation of 'Lech Lecha: said Thrivers
co-founder Michelle Passon. "From
the time she was diagnosed with
cancer, she looked forward with a
can-do spirit, determined to live
life to the fullest. This work of art,