SAN ANTONIO — A senior in UTSA's Bachelor of Fine Arts program is using her craft to shine a light on childhood cancer and the impact it has on families after her own two-year-old son was diagnosed with Leukemia.
Melissa Long is one of 32 artists with work on display at UTSA's Main Campus Art Gallery as part of their Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition.
"And this is the class that like, welcome to the real world for us."
Each artist brings their own perspective and life experience to what they put in the gallery.
"There is a lot of work this semester about mental health."
Less than a year from graduation, life changed the picture for Long in the worst way. While she was in the middle of finals, she learned that her two-year-old son Ollie had cancer.
“So, it's just this complete, like, empty, ‘Oh, my God, I can't believe that we're all about to go through this,’" Long said. “On April 11th, I wasn't the mother of a warrior, but on April 12th, I was by the end of the day.”
She said when the UTSA community learned about Ollie's Leukemia diagnosis, they were quick to rally around her and her family.
“When they found out about my son, they're just always asking and always offering support for me,” Long said.
Her paintings on display titled "pace" and "layman's terms" were a way to work through the turmoil of explaining the situation to her son and his five-year-old sister.
"My five-year-old didn't even know what cancer was. My five-year-old was so naïve at the time. And now this journey has grown her," Long said. "It's not just a journey that my son is going through. It's a journey that we’re all going through together."
But she says she wants to use her art to raise awareness of childhood cancers.
“There was a time that our son would be diagnosed with cancer, with leukemia, and we would be told that it's not a good prognosis. But through research and funding that’s now changed,” Long said. “I want to advocate for all childhood cancer because all child because all childhood cancer deserves to have that outcome and that prognosis.”
The senior seminar's exhibition will be open to the public through December 8.