“The Art of Healing” Exemplifies Cancer Journey

By Heather Walters

Gibson Cancer Center Nurse Stacie Smith and Otis Gwynn stand by the fountain that he chose to recreate as art in honor of Gibson Cancer Center and the care team who have supported him throughout his journey.

At this year’s THE MED GALA, the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation centered its theme on “The Art of Health,” celebrating the skill, creativity, compassion, and humanity behind every moment of care at UNC Health Southeastern.

At Gibson Cancer Center, that idea comes to life every day through the hands and hearts of its care teams.

But sometimes, healing does not only come from medicine. Sometimes, it comes from within. Sometimes, art itself becomes a place of peace, focus, and restoration.

For Otis Gwynn, it became exactly that.

A retired Army veteran, Gwynn has been receiving care at Gibson Cancer Center since 2025. Following a bone marrow transplant in December of last year, his health is doing well, but his journey has required strength, patience, and faith.

Along the way, he returned to something that has been part of his life since childhood.

Growing up on a farm in Yanceyville in Caswell County, Gwynn developed a love for drawing at a young age. After long days of farm work, he would spend time in the woods sketching his surroundings. After retiring from military service in 2002, he began experimenting more deeply with what he calls his “ink work,” using pen and ink as a creative outlet.

“Art is like music,” said Gwynn. “It’s my happy place, a way to stay focused and steady, especially during treatment, when I need something that helps my mind rest and keeps me grounded.”

During his time in treatment, that creative outlet became something more. It became part of his healing process.

After taking a photograph of the fountain garden at Gibson Cancer Center, Gwynn began working on a detailed pen drawing from his home. Inspired by nurse Stacie Smith, who had seen artwork he previously created for UNC Health in Chapel Hill, he chose to create the piece in honor of Gibson Cancer Center and the care team who have supported him throughout his journey.

Stacie Smith, a nurse at Gibson Cancer Center, spoke to both his talent and the impact of his work.

“Mr. Gwynn has an incredible gift,” said Smith. “The detail and care he puts into his work is remarkable, but what stands out even more is the heart behind it. This piece means so much because it reflects not just his talent, but his gratitude and the way he sees this place.”

Gwynn and his family, who reside in Hope Mills, came to Gibson Cancer Center following a recommendation from UNC Health oncology physicians. Since then, he describes the center as a place of both excellence and peace.

“Gibson has been a blessing,” he said. “It’s close to home for testing and maintenance, and it gives you a place where you can relax, let your mind rest, and not have to worry.”

When asked to describe his experience in one sentence, his response was immediate, “Thank God. Thank God for this facility and these team members.”

He continued, describing the team as “the best staff in the world, professional, happy, and joyful,” adding that “having a place like this is touching to the heart.”

Gibson Cancer Center Fountain drawing by Otis Gwynn.

Gwynn has graciously gifted his original pen and ink drawing to Gibson Cancer Center, granting permission for it to be displayed, digitized, and shared. The piece now stands as a reflection of gratitude, resilience, and the deeply personal nature of healing.

The UNC Health Southeastern Foundation is grateful for his beautiful gift, his talent, and his kindness.

His work also continues a tradition of using art to bring comfort to others. In Chapel Hill, Gwynn created a ceiling tile drawing honoring “Cheese,” a beloved therapy dog, offering patients something uplifting to focus on during treatment.

Through stories like Gwynn’s, UNC Health Southeastern Foundation continues to highlight the impact of compassionate, whole-person care through its “Hope Starts Here” campaign, including initiatives like the “Tree of Hope” and “Path to Hope,” which support spaces and experiences that bring comfort, reflection, and strength to patients and families.

Gibson Cancer Center delivers comprehensive, high-quality cancer care close to home, offering advanced treatment options, infusion services, care navigation, and ongoing support for patients and their families. With a commitment to both clinical excellence and compassionate care, the center focuses on treating the whole person throughout every stage of their journey. Because at Gibson Cancer Center, healing is not only clinical. It is personal.

Hope Starts Here

To support the “Hope Starts Here” campaign, gifts may be made to the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation in meaningful and lasting ways. Donors may purchase engraved bricks along the “Path to Hope” in honor or memory of a loved one, or become part of the “Tree of Hope,” a visible symbol of strength, remembrance, and support for those impacted by cancer. For more information or to give, please contact sefoundation@unchealth.unc.edu or mail a contribution to P.O. Box 1408, Lumberton, NC 28359.

Gwynn also looks forward to creating an original ink drawing of the “Path to Hope,” where the first bricks are expected to be in place in time for Survivors Day, capturing a space that will soon be filled with reflection, remembrance, and hope. For more information about Otis Gwynn’s artwork or to inquire about commissioning a piece, please contact the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation.

Gibson Cancer Center will host its annual Survivors Day event June 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year’s event theme is Camp Hope, which will focus on sun safety and skin cancer prevention for survivors, families, caregivers, and community members. For more information about the event, contact the Gibson Cancer Center Social Work team at (910) 735-8013.

Heather Walters is the manager of Donor Experience & Engagement for the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation.