A national art contest to support children suffering from eczema has been won by Maya Brassard from Comox, British Columbia, the Eczema Awareness, Support and Education (EASE) Program announced Monday.
The “My Life with Eczema” art contest was put on by EASE to support those suffering from the condition and give them an opportunity to express how they feel.
The submissions were judged by Canadian cartoonist Lynn Johnston of the iconic “For Better or For Worse” series, Quebec multidisciplinary artist Lysanne Pepin, and three dermatologists.
“It was amazing to see the creative ways in which these children used art to represent their life with eczema,” Johnston said in a release. “Typically we expect to see beauty in art but these works show us their frustration and pain. We see reality.”
Pepsin said judging the submissions was difficult “because we are not looking at pretty pictures. They’ve exposed their individual feelings in their own way and style and I applaud them all.”
Brassard, 12, will receive a $1,500 Canada Savings Bond to assist with her future education. As part of her submission she wrote, “When I have eczema, it feels like I’m standing in the middle of the desert being poked and prickled by cactuses.”
Two other contestants, Celeste Beaudette and Louisiane Camiré, were named as finalists. The contest was open to those aged 13 and under across the country.
According to EASE, a public education program that provides information and educational resources to help better manage eczema, 12 - 25 percent of children suffer from the chronic skin condition and its accompanying pain, itch, sleepless nights, and secondary infections.
Eczema can interfere with school because of difficulties in concentration, cause low self esteem, and make sufferers feel self-conscious about their appearance, EASE says. Some children even avoid social situations because of their eczema, a Greek word meaning “weeping skin.”
The condition, which also affects adults, is characterized by painful red, swollen, itchy and flaky skin. It is referred to as “chronic” because there is no cure and symptoms can reappear or flare-up at any time.
The majority of eczema cases are diagnosed in early childhood, and while some children may eventually outgrow it, it is estimated that about 80 percent will have dry, irritable skin throughout their lives.
The condition is associated with the immune system’s response to environmental irritants, as well as with respiratory allergies and asthma. Environmental triggers are the most common elements that cause flare-ups, according to EASE.
In general, people with eczema tend to have hypersensitive skin that does not tolerate certain topical stimulants or environmental contaminants.
The “My Life with Eczema” art contest was put on by EASE to support those suffering from the condition and give them an opportunity to express how they feel.
The submissions were judged by Canadian cartoonist Lynn Johnston of the iconic “For Better or For Worse” series, Quebec multidisciplinary artist Lysanne Pepin, and three dermatologists.
“It was amazing to see the creative ways in which these children used art to represent their life with eczema,” Johnston said in a release. “Typically we expect to see beauty in art but these works show us their frustration and pain. We see reality.”
Pepsin said judging the submissions was difficult “because we are not looking at pretty pictures. They’ve exposed their individual feelings in their own way and style and I applaud them all.”
Brassard, 12, will receive a $1,500 Canada Savings Bond to assist with her future education. As part of her submission she wrote, “When I have eczema, it feels like I’m standing in the middle of the desert being poked and prickled by cactuses.”
Two other contestants, Celeste Beaudette and Louisiane Camiré, were named as finalists. The contest was open to those aged 13 and under across the country.
According to EASE, a public education program that provides information and educational resources to help better manage eczema, 12 - 25 percent of children suffer from the chronic skin condition and its accompanying pain, itch, sleepless nights, and secondary infections.
Eczema can interfere with school because of difficulties in concentration, cause low self esteem, and make sufferers feel self-conscious about their appearance, EASE says. Some children even avoid social situations because of their eczema, a Greek word meaning “weeping skin.”
The condition, which also affects adults, is characterized by painful red, swollen, itchy and flaky skin. It is referred to as “chronic” because there is no cure and symptoms can reappear or flare-up at any time.
The majority of eczema cases are diagnosed in early childhood, and while some children may eventually outgrow it, it is estimated that about 80 percent will have dry, irritable skin throughout their lives.
The condition is associated with the immune system’s response to environmental irritants, as well as with respiratory allergies and asthma. Environmental triggers are the most common elements that cause flare-ups, according to EASE.
In general, people with eczema tend to have hypersensitive skin that does not tolerate certain topical stimulants or environmental contaminants.
