Art therapy guides Montrealer through breast cancer diagnosis

Montrealer Antonietta Gelfusa needed to channel her overwhelming emotions after a breast cancer diagnosis. She turned to art as her escape and vehicle for expression.

Gelfusa was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016, four days before her 44th birthday – one of many in her family to get the life-threatening disease.

Painting and drawing became a means of understanding and expressing her difficult emotions. It was also an escape from the anxiety and fear.

“Whether it’s cancer, heart disease, diabetes, it could be anything,” said Gelfusa. “My God, muscular dystrophy, any disease, even something small like type 2 diabetes where you have to monitor yourself a bit more, you look at yourself and say, ‘well, this is hard. My life is changing. Don’t I really want to do something more that comes from me inside?’”

That something more was art therapy for Gelfusa. The artist and now breast cancer survivor has a family history of cancer.

“My first punch in the gut, if I can say, with breast cancer was with my cousin who was diagnosed in March of 2013,” she said. “Then my sister the same year, in May of 2013. When my sister was better and she had finished her surgeries, I was diagnosed in August (2016), four days before my birthday. I was 43, also with breast cancer.

“Once you’re diagnosed with cancer, it’s not just you, it’s everyone around you that goes through it.”

The diagnosis led Gelfusa to embark on an artistic journey that deepened her love for painting. She has been developing her talent alongside Montreal artist Valerie Gruia.

Art therapy also helped her face an exceptionally difficult time in her life, culminating with the passing of her sister Morena in 2021.

“My sister was my best friend and I know she is with me now,” said Gelfusa.

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She’s recently been faced with another challenge: her father has also been diagnosed with cancer.

“Not only the painting, the prayer, the meditation, all that really, really helped me,” said Gelfusa. “And I just celebrated my seventh year cancer free. So I know both sides, the caregiving side and the patient side. And if I can tell you, being a patient was extremely difficult because you see your family suffering. They see you go through things.

“And as a caregiver, it’s indescribable because you can’t help them get better other than be present, feed them, bathe them, clean up after them without letting them feel like a burden.”

Giving back to the community

Gelfusa also uses art to help others and give back to the community. She often donates her paintings or organizes fundraisers, while volunteering at the same hospitals where she received treatment.

“Every time there’s an event, I’ll take a painting and I’ll just give it,” said Gelfusa. “I’m actually going to the hospital after because I’m starting my first volunteer at the hospital to help the patients when they first arrive at the hospital, because there’s a lot of emotions and questions.

“And I said if there’s one way that I can help, that’s the best way I can help.”

More of Gelfusa’s art can be found on her social media.