香港六合彩

Christopher Samuel, aged 44, is a multi-disciplinary artist whose practice is rooted in identity and disability politics, often echoing the many facets of his own lived experience. This October, Christopher is taking part in聽The National Brain Appeal鈥檚聽A Letter in Mind聽10th anniversary exhibition of art on envelopes, and has very personal reasons for doing so.

For more than 20 years, Christopher has been a patient at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Queen Square, London - the hospital that The National Brain Appeal is dedicated to fundraising for.聽聽He credits his consultant neurologist, Professor Mary Reilly, and former clinical nurse specialist (CNS) Karen Bull for turning his life around, and not just from a medical point of view, saying聽鈥淭hey changed my life in so many different ways. I don鈥檛 think they know how much.鈥�

Christopher has a neuromuscular disease, similar to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), but exactly what it is has baffled Professor of Clinical Neurology and Consultant Neurologist Mary Reilly for decades:聽

鈥淭here are over a hundred of different causative genes for CMT and we currently make a diagnosis in around 77 per cent of cases. Unfortunately, Christopher is one of my unsolved cases but we will never give up and each of my new research fellows are asked to try to solve Christopher鈥檚 case.鈥�

Although he still hasn鈥檛 received a diagnosis, this has never affected Christopher鈥檚 care and聽Professor Reilly and team have always supported Christopher in managing his symptoms - especially focus on helping him optimise the enjoyment of his life.

After a journey of many ups and downs, Christopher gained a first class degree in Fine Art as a mature student. The key to unlocking his future was not his medical care but CNS Karen鈥檚 dogged determination on Christopher鈥檚 behalf to get him a specially adapted car.

Karen knew that he wanted to live a fulfilled life and aim higher than he had been. She said:

聽鈥淚t is so important to treat any patient as a person, not a disease process. Treating Christopher as a human being is what was going to make a difference for him, not pills and potions. I knew that he was very depressed and that having a car could transform his life.鈥�

Thanks to Karen鈥檚 efforts, Christopher was provided with a state-of-the-art car that was tailored for his individual needs, designed so he could drive his wheelchair into it. One of his hands controls the steering. His other arm controls the acceleration and brakes. There is a head sensor for him to activate the indicators, and voice activated ignition and controls.

Once Christopher had his car, he then signed up for an art and design course. It was a lightbulb moment and from then on he was unstoppable. He completed the three year course - a BTEC and Foundation Course -聽聽in one year with distinctions in all of his modules. He said:聽

鈥淚 became obsessed with art, learning about it, pumping out so much work and trying every genre. I had never been to a gallery before. It was a whole new world. My mum was so happy. She could see this new light burning in me. I felt alive again. I wanted to live.鈥�

At university, he tried everything that was available to him - working with glass, pottery, steel, screen-printing, embroidery.聽鈥淚 was like a child in a sweet shop," Christopher recalls.

He was the highest performing student at the university and graduated with a first class degree. And now, Christopher聽has his own art studio and his own business, employing four staff.

Karen is now semi-retired but stays in touch with Christopher.聽鈥淐hristopher has always met every challenge full on. Getting his car was pivotal for him. He has done so well. I鈥檓 so proud of him. He sends me prints of work he has done and he also makes me handmade Christmas cards, which I love.鈥�

Karen continued:聽鈥淲e answered his problems in a different way. We met the needs of his life. If you can teach anyone anything in medicine and nursing, it is to look at the person and how you can make things possible for them.鈥�

Professor Mary Reilly, who is also co-director of the Queen Square Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, that The National Brain Appeal charity helped to establish, said:聽

鈥淐hristopher is an exceptional person. His condition means that he has a lack of sensation and numbness in his arms and legs. He needs help breathing day and night. Our approach to his care was to manage his symptoms and help him optimise the enjoyment of his life and what he could do in spite of his disability. Karen鈥檚 persistence in helping him to get a bespokely designed vehicle was crucial. It gave him a purpose and unlocked his amazing talent as an artist that we had no idea was there. He鈥檚 phenomenally talented and has so much to contribute to society. He鈥檚 also a testament to what Queen Square can achieve even when there is no specific treatment available.鈥�

Christopher, who still has annual check-ups at The National Hospital, said:

聽鈥淢y nurse specialist, Karen, and my doctor, Professor Reilly, are very special people in my life. They are strong women, like my mum was. It is an absolute pleasure to be taking part in The National Brain Appeal鈥檚 A Letter in Mind exhibition, a perfect way for me to show my gratitude to them and to all the staff at The National Hospital.鈥�

A Letter in Mind, marking its 10th anniversary this year, takes place at Gallery Different from 24-28 October 2023. Artworks will be sold via the charity鈥檚 online gallery aletterinmind.org from 25 October.聽

Christopher鈥檚 artwork will be displayed anonymously alongside creations by artist and broadcaster聽Sir Grayson Perry, fashion designer聽Dame Zandra Rhodes, children鈥檚 book illustrator聽Axel Scheffler,聽Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan CBE, comedians and television presenters聽Joe Lycett聽and聽Leigh Francis, Game of Thrones actor聽Indira Varma, Sherlock creator聽Mark Gatiss, and many other leading artists and celebrities.

All artworks will be identically priced at 拢85. The identity of the artist is revealed at the end of the exhibition, once the artwork has sold. All proceeds from sales will go towards supporting vital projects at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, where Christopher is a long-standing patient.

A Letter in Mind previews online at聽aletterinmind.org聽and at Gallery Different, 14 Percy Street, London聽W1T 1DR from 24 October聽with online sales from 10am on 25 October at聽aletterinmind.org. The exhibition runs until 28 October. Gallery opening hours are 10am to 6pm.

Main image (Left to right: Professor Mary Reilly, Christopher Samuel, Karen Bull)

Links

• 聽(watch from 21:30). Please note, the link is only available until 7pm 24 October.

Credits

• Image: Marie Mangan
• Text:聽The National Brain Appeal