Holding My Breath
Pen, acrylic paint, and original collage on paper, 36.5 × 24.5 cm (image), 42 × 29.7 cm (paper), 2025
This work conveys the intimate, disorienting rhythm of my 15 radiation treatment sessions for breast cancer. Each session required me to hold my breath, keeping my body still and my heart out of harm's way as the machine moved above and around me. Guided by the shifting bars on the screen before my eyes, along with the gentle prompts over the microphone, I held my breath — sometimes fleetingly, sometimes for long stretches.
As well as exploring the tension between control and surrender and fear and focus, all of which shaped my experience, this piece incorporates handwritten text to acknowledge the wonderful, personalised care I received and to express my gratitude for having access to this life-saving treatment.
© Sam Jackson 2026. All rights reserved.
