EP 93: The Cancer Episode with Sculptor John Powers

Art Problems

This week we’re talking about how health events affect the lives of artists. Sculptor John Powers joins me as we share our experiences - his traumatic hand injury and subsequent cancer diagnosis, and my own recent double mastectomy.

We dig into the specific challenges artists face when medical crises threaten the tools of our trade, how we navigate the US healthcare system, and the mental strategies that help us maintain morale when everything feels out of control. We also explore the practical realities: phantom limb pain, nerve regeneration, the importance of finding the right surgeon, and how artistic skills - like explaining complex ideas and self-entertaining in solitude - translate surprisingly well to being a patient.

Medical crises are one of the top reasons artists in our community need to step back from their work, yet we rarely discuss how to navigate them. This podcast fills that need.

Relevant Links:

• John Powers
• NYU Langone Health
• Weill Cornell Medicine
• Columbia Presbyterian