The experience of cancer treatment is something many patients want to keep in private. Brianne Urzada is not one of those patients, and “Five 5tages” is an emotionally and literally naked look at the emotions someone goes through when facing treatment for a serious disease.
The series of five images, taken by Kiriako Iatridis, show Urzada undergoing treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, each one representing one of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
“These photos are really heavy, so they give people the opportunity to think about the hard parts of cancer and have those conversations about cancer.”
Urzada admits that going with something so public is the opposite of what most cancer patients do, but that’s also why she believes the show is valuable, because putting the experience out there is a way to get people more open about the disease.
“It’s good to get it out there, because not many people do. For me, I’m a very open person and I thought this was a good way for me to deal with the emotions.”
That was not necessarily the plan before the photo shoot, but Urzada says that they thought documenting her experience with the diagnosis was going to be valuable whatever happened with the photographs themselves.
“We didn’t know what we would do with the photos. In my mind, it was such a unique experience, and as an artist myself, it was a way to express myself understand what I was going through.”
In deciding what to do with the work they created, they thought the most appropriate course of action would be to turn it into a fundraiser and awareness campaign to get more people talking about cancer. The photos have raised over $63,000, which has gone to a pathology device at the Regina General Hospital and patient comfort at the Allan Blair Cancer Centre.
This is also a homecoming for Urzada. Born as a Pister, she grew up in the Rhein area. She says it’s extra emotional to come back home.
“I think people appreciate people coming back home and sharing their stories.”
The show was also put together in conjunction with Brayden Ottenbreit’s Close Cuts for Cancer. Urzada was happy to partner with the Ottenbreits.
“It’s such a wonderful local fundraiser, and they do such a good job with it.”
This story has a happy ending. Urzada came through treatment and is now in remission for nearly three years, opening a new business called Art House and just recently celebrated the birthday of her one year old son, Winston.
“Even though the content is heavy it’s got a good ending.”
