Jamie Knoll O'Neill and Julie Rearick
The Story
Jamie Knoll O'Neill
Jamie Knoll O'Neill
Chicago, IL
Social Media: @jamie_knoll
Caregiver & metastatic transitional cell carcinoma
Twist on Cancer: My beloved dad, Dan Knoll, was diagnosed with stage 4 transitional cell carcinoma (of the ureter) in December 2019. It was my honor to be his advocate and eventual full-time caregiver. The treatment process helped us both to truly understand the most beautiful part of life is indeed love. Since my dad passed away on May 30, 2020, I have realized he was not only an incredible father but also a best friend. I didn’t know it was possible to miss him more as time went on.
Through Brushes with Cancer, I was reminded that profound grief can be a communal journey. During our first in-person meeting, my artist, Julie Rearick, and I shared our stories and found surprising commonalities. I was moved by her interest in asking me questions, ability to hear my answers, and dedication to conveying my experience. While creating this piece, she developed her own relationship with my dad, connecting with the magical man he was and our deep care for each other.
As I was reflecting, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 came to mind. It says, God “comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from” Him. I want to thank Ethan Zohn for encouraging me to apply for this program; Twist Out Cancer for providing this opportunity for art therapy to the cancer community as well as thoughtfully matching me with Julie; and my husband, Ryan O'Neill, and mom, Sandie Knoll, for supporting me.
Chicago, IL
Social Media: @jamie_knoll
Caregiver & metastatic transitional cell carcinoma
Twist on Cancer: My beloved dad, Dan Knoll, was diagnosed with stage 4 transitional cell carcinoma (of the ureter) in December 2019. It was my honor to be his advocate and eventual full-time caregiver. The treatment process helped us both to truly understand the most beautiful part of life is indeed love. Since my dad passed away on May 30, 2020, I have realized he was not only an incredible father but also a best friend. I didn’t know it was possible to miss him more as time went on.
Through Brushes with Cancer, I was reminded that profound grief can be a communal journey. During our first in-person meeting, my artist, Julie Rearick, and I shared our stories and found surprising commonalities. I was moved by her interest in asking me questions, ability to hear my answers, and dedication to conveying my experience. While creating this piece, she developed her own relationship with my dad, connecting with the magical man he was and our deep care for each other.
As I was reflecting, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 came to mind. It says, God “comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from” Him. I want to thank Ethan Zohn for encouraging me to apply for this program; Twist Out Cancer for providing this opportunity for art therapy to the cancer community as well as thoughtfully matching me with Julie; and my husband, Ryan O'Neill, and mom, Sandie Knoll, for supporting me.
Julie Rearick
Chicago, IL
“When Life Throws You A Curve Ball”
Acrylics, gold leaf, pen on canvas
36” x 48”
$400
Artist Statement: This painting was inspired and created through Dan’s daughter, Jamie Knoll O’Neal. Jamie was so willing and thrilled to share with me the story of her Dad’s Cancer journey and his life. We connected immediately and shared so many common feelings about our Dads which proved to be a wonderful, healthy, positive experience for both of us that we treasure.
Dan Knoll’s life and story is captured in this painting with Jamie’s contribution of sharing with me his passions and loves in life. Dan’s journey with cancer was brief, a six month challenge that was shared with his daughter, Jamie, who took a leave of absence as an RN to be her Dad’s “caregiver.” She was his only child and they shared a very special life together with their Mother.
Dan fell in love with “Baseball.” He grew up on the south side of Chicago but was introduced to the Chicago Cubs by his father at a summer baseball game at Wrigley field when he was 9 years old. That summer, at his first baseball game, he saved his ticket and thus began his career as a Collector of the Chicago Cubs Memorabilia; tickets, programs, season passes, team pennants, Hall of Fame jerseys, signed baseball cards, and even a 5 cent pack of cards with a stick of bubble gum! Dan and his wife opened a store selling Cubs Baseball Memorabilia and eventually he was featured in the Smithsonian Baseball book as one of the Worlds Finest Private Collectors. Dan always rooted for and believed in the underdog, and as he stated in an interview; “Many of us have come to understand that baseball is not as much about the outcome as it is about the journey.”
Jamie said she and her Dad loved taking walks in the forest preserve and enjoyed nature. So, in this “surreal” painting, I have created a baseball that is hurled on a gold leaf path leading to a serene and beautiful existence after this life. The path takes you to a blue sky with four clouds representing Dan and his wife in the two center clouds, their daughter, Jamie, in the cloud below them, and the small cloud above is “baby Dan Knoll” to arrive this summer!
The love of nature on this earth surrounds the theme, including spring, summer, fall, and winter scenes in Chicago, a night scene approaching Chicago from the south side, and the “tree of life.” As Dan said, and I quote him, “baseball is not as much about the outcome as it is about the journey.”
“When Life Throws You A Curve Ball”
Acrylics, gold leaf, pen on canvas
36” x 48”
$400
Artist Statement: This painting was inspired and created through Dan’s daughter, Jamie Knoll O’Neal. Jamie was so willing and thrilled to share with me the story of her Dad’s Cancer journey and his life. We connected immediately and shared so many common feelings about our Dads which proved to be a wonderful, healthy, positive experience for both of us that we treasure.
Dan Knoll’s life and story is captured in this painting with Jamie’s contribution of sharing with me his passions and loves in life. Dan’s journey with cancer was brief, a six month challenge that was shared with his daughter, Jamie, who took a leave of absence as an RN to be her Dad’s “caregiver.” She was his only child and they shared a very special life together with their Mother.
Dan fell in love with “Baseball.” He grew up on the south side of Chicago but was introduced to the Chicago Cubs by his father at a summer baseball game at Wrigley field when he was 9 years old. That summer, at his first baseball game, he saved his ticket and thus began his career as a Collector of the Chicago Cubs Memorabilia; tickets, programs, season passes, team pennants, Hall of Fame jerseys, signed baseball cards, and even a 5 cent pack of cards with a stick of bubble gum! Dan and his wife opened a store selling Cubs Baseball Memorabilia and eventually he was featured in the Smithsonian Baseball book as one of the Worlds Finest Private Collectors. Dan always rooted for and believed in the underdog, and as he stated in an interview; “Many of us have come to understand that baseball is not as much about the outcome as it is about the journey.”
Jamie said she and her Dad loved taking walks in the forest preserve and enjoyed nature. So, in this “surreal” painting, I have created a baseball that is hurled on a gold leaf path leading to a serene and beautiful existence after this life. The path takes you to a blue sky with four clouds representing Dan and his wife in the two center clouds, their daughter, Jamie, in the cloud below them, and the small cloud above is “baby Dan Knoll” to arrive this summer!
The love of nature on this earth surrounds the theme, including spring, summer, fall, and winter scenes in Chicago, a night scene approaching Chicago from the south side, and the “tree of life.” As Dan said, and I quote him, “baseball is not as much about the outcome as it is about the journey.”