In the spring of 2020, Federico’s life changed unexpectedly with a bone cancer diagnosis. As he navigated months of treatment, he turned to drawing as a way to cope with the challenges he faced. What began as a personal journal became a comic that helped him process his experience with humor and reflection: “T(H)UMOR: Dear Cancer Diary”

As Federico shared his journal online, he discovered a growing community of people who connected with his story. His work resonated with cancer patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers, creating a shared space for understanding and support. Through his art, Federico found a way to reclaim his voice during a difficult time. Empowered by his own experience, he chose to extend this opportunity to other cancer survivors, encouraging and helping them to share their stories through visual, light-hearted expressions. His aim was to present the harsh reality of cancer from all perspectives, using a lens of self-reflection and creating drawings that would be accessible to visitors of all ages. Every shared story was unique—cancer manifests in countless forms and pains—but there was so much they had in common.

For Federico, it was telling his cancer story in comic form.

For Sam, it was expressing the pain of her brain tumor through poetry, even though she can barely read anymore.

For Rita, it was making jewelry from the stones she collected on the beach—a beach that had witnessed her before and after she became a breast cancer survivor.

The interviews with cancer survivors, whose stories were transformed into comic books, were made possible by Alyson Moadel-Robblee, PhD, who leads the Psychosocial Oncology Program and the BOLD (Bronx Oncology Living Daily) Program at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center. These programs offer free resources to help patients find connection, hope, and care for their mind, body, and spirit. The BOLD Buddies were instrumental in this exhibition, and we are deeply grateful for their courage and kindness.