Michaela Stuermer has been an artist her whole life. When she was in college, her primary passions were performance art and music.
“I went to Marquette University to study theater. Then I went to the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. I sang professionally for about five years,” she explained.
It was through music that Michaela met her husband, Daryl Stuermer of Genesis. The couple lived in Los Angeles for a time, but they missed home and returned to southeastern Wisconsin to raise their family. Over the years, Michaela’s interest in the visual arts grew, but she didn’t have any formal training until she was in her 40s.
“I took some painting and drawing classes and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I got diagnosed with a retinal condition that impacted my eyesight. As my vision started to deteriorate, I became discouraged and gave up painting and drawing.”
It was a different disease that brought Michaela back to art.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and was treated at Aurora Medical Center – Grafton. It was a long and difficult journey with 20 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. I also had to have a mastectomy,” she shared.
Cancer took a toll not only on her body but also on her mind. She became depressed and started working with Justine, a counselor and art therapist at Aurora – Grafton.
“One day, she gave me a piece of paper and asked me to draw how I was feeling. It was a dark drawing, and we analyzed it together. It was insightful and helped me understand what was going on with my thoughts and feelings. Under the brave face I was showing on the outside, there was a lot of fear.”
Sensing her depression might be something more serious, Justine encouraged Michaela to talk to her oncologist, Dr. John Maul.
“I’m grateful she did because it turned out I was having a reaction to the steroids I was taking,” she said. “Dr. Maul changed my medication and that made a huge difference.”
Michaela continued art therapy throughout her journey and found that painting allowed her to express herself more clearly.
“It helped me face emotions that were too scary to think about on my own. It’s similar to talk therapy, where verbalizing what you’re feeling makes it more real. With art therapy, it’s putting reality on paper, but in a gentler way.”
A second diagnosis
Three years after completing treatment, Michaela went to her doctor because she was experiencing back pain. Testing showed the cancer had metastasized.
“I was totally in shock. I felt fine except for the back pain. I was very discouraged,” she shared. “Daryl had just left for England for the next leg of the Genesis tour. He flew home right away and wasn’t sure if he’d finish the tour.”
Dr. Maul and his team quickly came up with a plan to fight her cancer. Under his care and with her daughters and their families living close by, Michaela felt she had a strong support system. She encouraged Daryl to rejoin the tour.
“He went back to England, and I started painting even more. It’s such a different battle this time because the cancer is in different locations. But mentally, I’m in a much better place. I’m not depressed, and I feel like I have more tools to cope with it all.”
Michaela is optimistic about her treatment. Her last PET scan showed encouraging results from a new medication she’s taking.
“I’m very grateful for every day. Of course, I’m not happy this happened to me, but if I can’t change the situation, I can change the way I think about it. And that’s what I try to do.”
How you can help
Advocate Aurora Health is a not-for-profit organization. Many programs and services, like cancer care and integrative medicine, are supported by donors, including Michaela and Daryl. In 2020, they auctioned 141 of Daryl’s guitars, amps and other equipment and donated a generous portion of the proceeds to benefit Aurora Medical Center – Grafton.
“I’m a big fan of Aurora’s integrative medicine approach. The programs they offer motivated me to participate in my treatment in a very positive way,” shared Michaela. “Cancer is good at keeping you in a zone of anxiety. Art helps me stay in the moment.”
To learn more about how you can support integrative medicine, contact Kristen Chenoweth. You can also make a gift to help people like Michaela throughout their cancer journey.