Young Cancer Patient Uses Art to Heal and Help Others

When Emma Stumpf was seven, she came to RAYUS Radiology for a CT scan to find an answer for why she was experiencing headaches and dizziness. With one look at Emma’s CT scan, Dr. Shane Rose, a neuroradiologist who reads for RAYUS Radiology (RAYUS) in Indianapolis, immediately ordered an MRI for her. The MRI confirmed that Emma had a brain tumor.

Now 15, Emma has undergone a biopsy, followed by 70 weeks of chemotherapy, six weeks of radiation, and two resections surgeries. It was during one of her hospital stays that Emma was introduced to art therapy.

For sick kids, art can be a way to cope with and express hard-to-describe feelings. Art therapy made such an impact on Emma that she started a non-profit called Emma’s Art Kits that assembles and distributes bags of art supplies to other children in the hospital. Her art kits have earned the attention of celebrities and political figures, and she has even won the Jefferson Award, a prestigious national organization honoring community volunteerism.

Watch Emma’s powerful story below:

To learn more about Emma’s mission or to donate, click here.