SHREVEPORT, La. – A new art exhibit at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center is shedding light on sickle cell disease through the creative expressions of patients, caregivers, staff, and local artists. Titled Artistic Expressions, the installation features a range of work including paintings, photography, pottery, and mixed media, now on display across all floors of the cancer center at LSU Health Shreveport.
The exhibit, which runs through July 18, aims to highlight the challenges faced by those living with sickle cell disease—a condition that disproportionately affects African American communities—and offer a platform for storytelling and healing.
“There’s something here for everyone, from abstract art to anime,” said Jackie Wilson, RN, BSN, Adult Sickle Cell Program Specialist at Feist-Weiller. “Each piece tells a unique story of strength.”
Artists contributing to the collection range in age from 13 to over 80. Participants include patients in both the oncology and sickle cell programs, as well as LSU Health staff and local creatives from across the ArkLaTex region.
Organizers say the exhibit not only helps raise awareness, but also gives patients a sense of visibility and validation.
“It means so much to our patients to see their art displayed publicly,” said Ron Nierman, MA LPC, CGP, who leads patient support groups at Feist-Weiller. “It helps them feel seen, supported, and appreciated—especially those living with sickle cell disease, which is often an invisible illness.”
The exhibit coincides with World Sickle Cell Awareness Day, observed annually on June 19. The day is recognized internationally as an opportunity to increase understanding of the disease and to celebrate the strength of those affected by it.
The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular clinic hours at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, located on the LSU Health Shreveport campus. Visitors are encouraged to stop in and experience the artwork through mid-July.