OhioHealth Mansfield Patient Uses Art as Therapy During Cancer Treatment
Every two weeks, Jeremy Fox brings an easel, canvas and suitcase full of painting supplies to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital.
The 44-year-old Mansfield native is both a patient and an artist, using his infusion treatments as creative time. Diagnosed with colon cancer in early 2023, just two months after he lost his mother to cervical cancer, Fox has turned these challenging moments into an opportunity for artistic expression.
“It puts you in the moment right now,” he told Richland Source. “I don’t worry about tomorrow anymore, because today is all I’ve got.”
Fox, a seasoned artist contractor, had previously worked on large-scale projects for Six Flags and Cedar Fair. After his mother’s passing, he reevaluated his life and career, turning to art as a way to cope and give back.
“She was also an artist. She’s the one who inspired me to paint … she was like my biggest fan,” Fox said.
And now he provides inspiration to those around him at Mansfield Hospital, while also finding solace for himself. His paintings often focus on overcoming adversity, Fox said.
“I’ve always looked at it as like a superhero kind of thing that you could always tap into, because I can create whatever I want on there,” he said. “But then I also impact people because they can kind of resonate.”
Fox is also using his paintings to raise money for children battling cancer, aiming to collect $2,500, with the top donor receiving one of his landscape pieces. Looking ahead, Fox hopes to open a space where he can offer painting lessons to cancer and palliative care patients.
But for now, he’s focused on making the most of his treatments and sharing his journey with others.
“It’s all perspective. Whether I’m here in five years or not, it’s all good, because I’m living like my best life right now and that’s what it’s about.”
To visit Fox’s website and stay up to date with his artwork and future fundraisers, click here.
