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The Art of Living With Hemophilia
A Story of Personal Triumph Through Art By Kelly Burgess
Gilmer had always been home-schooled along with his two sisters, Jennie and Sarah. When he was very young, he began private art lessons with a teacher who recognized that art was both a creative outlet and a source of great comfort to Gilmer.
"When I was younger I would get depressed because of the things I couldn't do physically," says Gilmer. "Art helped me to realize that there are a lot of things out there that I can do. It helped me focus on the positive rather than the negative, and I learned the lesson that if you spend your time focusing on what you can't do, you'll never discover your true gift."
Gilmer had discovered his true gift, and he used it to gift those who had helped him. Soon, he was presenting his paintings to his doctors, nurses, friends and others who had made a difference in his life. He also began donating his paintings to auctions that donated the proceeds to charity. It was at one such event that he met representatives of Novo Nordisk when they purchased one of his paintings. They were so impressed with the young artist that they asked him tospeak at their upcoming company meeting. He spoke so passionately about how art had helped him grow that the company decided to make it a formal program and The Novo Nordisk Art of Living With Hemophilia Program was born.
Sponsored by Novo Nordisk and the American Art Therapy Association, and with Gilmer as an articulate and passionate spokesperson, the program works to promote an understanding of hemophilia and the benefits of art therapy among children and young adults with chronic long-term illnesses. Gilmer travels to cities around the United States, talking to kids about how art helped him find his creative core and turn self-pity into self-discovery.
"My basic message is that it's important to find your own gift," says Gilmer. "Painting is mine, but yours may be music or gardening or something else. I always try to be very positive when I talk to the kids, and I tell them that this isn't about art, it's about trying a variety of things and finding out what you like and what you're good at."
Finding a Future