Bulletin

Issue: April 2005

News

How sandi helped change a life

It is not often that a student makes a significant contribu-tion to enhancing the life of someone she encounters during the course of her study.

But it happened to fourth year La Trobe University Bachelor of Social Work student Sandi Grbic while on fieldwork placement at St Vincent’s Hospital.

In October last year Sandi met 50-year-old Rick Doran, an oncology outpatient, who a month previously had a large brain tumour removed and was undergoing treatment.

Mr Doran was deeply depressed following his diagnosis and prognosis and Sandi, alongside an Oncology social worker, considered ways to help Mr Doran manage his depression and adjust to the changes to his life.

In the course of conversation it transpired that Mr Doran was a computer buff, who enjoyed creating computer images.

‘He brought some examples in to show us and they took our breath away,’ said Sandi. ‘They were simply brilliant and had obviously been influenced by the large tumour in his brain he had been unaware he had.

‘As part of our intervention, we decided to organise a public showing of his work. We liaised with the hospital to allow us to exhibit more than 100 of Rick’s images in St Vincent’s Aikenhead Gallery.’

The exhibition catalogue described the work on display as ‘an exhibition of computer art created under the influence of a massive tumour in the visual occipital cortex.’

In his notes in the catalogue, Mr Doran said: ‘This exhibition is a visual exploration of the colours and textures stimulated by a very large tumour in my brain.

‘Over the last few years this fascination (for computer art) evolved into a passion which then exploded into an obsession focused on the abstract expres-sion of colours and textures, producing over 300 pieces of digital art.

‘During this period, I was unaware that a large tumour was putting pressure on the visual cortex of my brain and this was directly influencing the artwork displayed in this exhibit.’

Before the exhibition opened on 23 February, Sandi and the oncology social worker marketed the event internally and notified the hospital publicist who arranged for Channel 9 to present a story on the exhibition which was called Tumour Art.

The news report appeared as a feature item on Channel 9 news—which raised further public interest. Many came to see the exhibition resulting in Mr. Doran selling scores of his art work.

‘He made very useful money from the sales,’ said Sandi. ‘What was even more satisfying for us was that the exhibition validated Rick and gave him the opportunity to share his beautiful work. Mr. Doran is still receiving treatment and has been on a high since the success of the exhibition.’

‘This whole event really brought home to me the benefits of applied social work and being creative in one’s approach to working with clients’, Sandi said. She successfully completed her Social Work degree at La Trobe in mid March.

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