Sanderson Media

Inspirational artist paints her MS blues away

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Ivana Djuric had painted in earnest since the age of 11 however when she reached 16 in 2004 she noticed that something was seriously wrong with her health.

She fell over in the first of many seizures. It took specialists nine months to discover her fatigue and dizziness made her one of 16,000 Australians, mostly women, who live with the debilitating disease Multiple Sclerosis.

Previously she had the dream of becoming a lawyer and had done work experience in a solicitor’s office. This had to be shelved while she adjusted to a life of fatigue, severe pain, depression and the reality of being wheelchair bound.

A psychiatrist, Dr Vladan Ljubisavljevic, who spoke her native Yugoslav, proved to be a tower of strength, but first she spent three months lying in a darkened room, curtains drawn, crying her eyes out.

Moving to Queensland had previously been the Djuric family’s bright new start, as refugees from the insane Balkans conflict, which claimed the life of her father.

She emerged from her darkened room, determined to paint in earnest.
Ivana also picked up confidence this year by starting a part-time Diploma of Visual arts at Southbank TAFE – Morningside.

Every second day she has to inject herself with Betaferon, a type of chemotherapy. This helps her cope with daily MS symptoms although she is one of 60% of people with MS in which the progress of the disease does not stop.

Nowadays she musters all her spare energy to paint, with classical music playing in the background and attend TAFE.

Autumn in Kentucky, Ivana Djuric

She appreciates the assistance of her neurologist, Dr
Paul A Sandstrom and plans to continue her studies at University.

Ivana will happily speak up about the need for more funding and support for MS research at any time and doesn’t mind being a champion for the cause. It’s a far cry from being the legal champion she had dreamt of but she expects to touch more hearts along the way.

Her Mother Gabriella is a tower of strength, having sat through psychological counseling with her Ivana, she is able to say the right words at the right time.

Mysterious Woman, Ivana Djuric

The housing commission kindly found her a beautiful wheelchair friendly home close to a bus stop, a railway station and the QE2 hospital. Gabriella dreams of building Ivana an airy art studio in the backyard where all paint fumes will blow away in the breeze.

Ivana is the only member of her family who inherited artistic genes from her great-grand father who was an artist.

Ivana Djuric excitedly prepares for her first exhibition, Canapes and canvass. Hosted by Queensland’s Governor and compered by TV presenter, Sophie Formica. It will include works by 41 other artists.

A Brisbane art exhibition on July 21, Canapes and canvass, hosted by the Governor of Queensland and compered by TV presenter Sofie Formica, at Victoria Park Function Centre, Herston Road, Herston gives Ivana her first opportunity to show her wares in public.

More information on the Multiple Sclerosis Society of
Queensland

Ivana Duric with proud mother Gabriella.

(Sanderson Media's breezy writing style and great images can get your message out to the world) contact john@sanderson-media.com

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