From Doctor to Patient to Artist and Activist

You may be someone who has already experienced a 360 life change through ill health, or are currently supporting somebody with a life changing diagnosis. Dr Shanali Perera's own 360 story is one of sudden, abrupt and frightening change. 10 years ago, as a medical doctor, Shanali was specializing in rheumatology with a specific interest in vasculitis, a rare autoimmune disease, only to become diagnosed with it herself. Her fast tracked medical career was derailed, leaving her with uncertainty, loss and fear. It was when she turned to visual digital art that she found not only a new form of expression, but finally regained control of her experience. Today as a practicing artist, including acrylic paint on canvas, her work is at the intersection of art, medical education and patient advocacy. Shanali is an activist, her art, writing and talks put human experience at the center of patient care and medical learning. It's through the therapeutic benefits of art and expression as an alternative language that both clinicians and patients can dramatically improve care and self-management. Her book, Finding Me Beyond Illness, is a visual narrative about her transformation. She illustrates her personal pathway, and invites patients to take similar steps that help make human, medical and art concepts, one conversation.

 

Discover Shanali Perera: https://www.shanaliperera.com/

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all audio interviews in this series.

Read only, text transcripts of every interview, news, reviews and your host, Paula Moore, are available here: https://canartsaveus.com/

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