Oncology On Canvas(SM) Launches 2010 Art Competition for Individuals Touched by Cancer

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- "Feel. Create. Share the hope." With these words, Lilly USA, LLC, and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) kick off the 2010 Oncology On Canvas: Expressions of a Cancer Journey Art Competition and Exhibition. The biennial competition invites residents of the United States and Puerto Rico who have been touched by cancer - patients, family members, friends, caregivers and healthcare providers - to express, through art and narrative, the life-affirming changes that give their cancer journey meaning. Entries must be postmarked by June 30, 2010. Prizes consist of donations to the winners' cancer charities of choice.

The 2010 competition is launching its call for entries with four free, public exhibitions of art from the 2008 competition in the following cities during the month of November:

• November 1-30, New Orleans, La.: Ochsner Medical Center
• November 2-13, Louisville, Ky.: University of Louisville in conjunction with the James Graham Brown Cancer Center
• November 2-13, Augusta, Maine: Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care
• November 2-13, Oklahoma City, Okla.: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  

This is the fourth Oncology On Canvas competition. Since Lilly created the program in 2004, more than 3,000 individuals have submitted entries. Art from the 2008 competition continues to tour hundreds of venues throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, including cancer centers, hospitals, and patient advocacy group events.

You don't have to be a professional artist or writer to participate. According to Richard Gaynor, M.D., vice president of cancer research and global oncology platform leader for Lilly, "Oncology On Canvas is not about competing; it is about the expression of the cancer journey - sharing your feelings in the hopes of inspiring others and in the process, feeling better yourself."

Among the nearly 600 people who entered the 2008 competition, the majority - 61 percent - were cancer survivors, followed by family/friends/caregivers at 30 percent, and healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, etc.) at 9 percent. In total, 26 prizes were awarded to 20 cancer charities selected by 19 winners in various categories.

"Their artwork and narratives gave us snapshots of the human spirit - the hopes and fears, the triumphs and losses in the face of challenge," said Thomas P. Sellers, NCCS President & CEO and 10-year cancer survivor. "I continue to be inspired and awed by what we receive."

Call for Entries Details
All submissions for the 2010 competition, which is open to residents of the United States and Puerto Rico who have been touched by cancer, must be postmarked by June 30, 2010. Original artwork that depicts one's cancer journey must be accompanied by a written narrative of no more than 100 words. The artwork may be submitted in one of the following media: watercolor, oil, pastel, photography, acrylic or mixed media (a combination of two or more media). There are three participant categories: person diagnosed with cancer; family member, friend or caregiver; and healthcare professional.

An independent panel of judges, which in the past has included cancer survivors, oncologists, journalists and representatives from patient advocacy groups, will select a total of 24 winners, including the overall, first-, second- and third-place winners; best of participant category winners (e.g., person diagnosed with cancer); and best of participant category winners in each art medium. Prizes consist of donations ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to cancer-related charities selected by winners. Winners will be announced in the fall of 2010. Following the competition, much of the artwork will embark on a nationwide tour of cancer centers, hospitals and patient advocacy group events.

To view the Oncology On Canvas art, find an exhibit near you, or obtain an entry packet you may:

• Visit www.LillyOncologyOnCanvas.com
  

• Call 1-866-991-LOOC (5662)
  

• Email artdirector@mylooc.com
  

You may also follow Oncology On Canvas on Twitter at twitter.com/LlyOncOnCanvas and Facebook.

About National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
NCCS advocates for quality cancer care for all Americans and provides tools that empower people affected by cancer to advocate for themselves. Founded by and for cancer survivors in 1986, NCCS created the widely accepted definition of survivorship and considers someone a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life. Its free publications and resources include the award-winning Cancer Survival Toolbox®, a self-learning audio program created by leading cancer organizations to help people develop essential skills to meet the challenges of their illness. More information is available at www.canceradvocacy.org or (888) 650-9127.

About Lilly Oncology
For more than four decades, Lilly Oncology, a division of Eli Lilly and Company, has been dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that improve the care of people living with cancer.

Because no two cancer patients are alike, Lilly Oncology is committed to developing novel treatment approaches.

About Lilly
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation is developing a growing portfolio of pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers - through medicines and information - for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com.

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