May 30, 2007

 

She Survived CSA, But Not Cancer

I am sad to have to say that a wonderful person and child abuse prevention & awareness advocate has lost her battle with cancer and passed on. Her name was Anita Larson, but most of us knew her as Jodi Larson, the artist who created The Show Of Hands project. I received a blog comment from a good friend of Jodi's, Andrea Duff, that Jodi died on Sunday, May 20, 2007. Jodi was only 52 years old.

I met Jodi online and immediately recognized her courage, strength, passion and creativity. She was an amazing, vital human being and childhood sexual abuse survivor. Her website, www.theshowofhands.com is still up and running, but I do not know if anyone will be continuing her work in her stead. Go visit the site while you still can to see some of the amazing examples of Jodi's work and advocacy.

I first blogged about Jodi in March of 2006. This is the post where Jodi's friend Andrea commented and included the details of Jodi's obituary.

I wrote a poem called, Raise Your Hand, and included it in my post called, Take A Stand, Raise Your Hand. The poem was included with my hand print in Jodi's Show of Hands exhibit. Jodi's hands work was exhibited in the Healing Through Creativity--a survivor art festival--event last year, but I don't know if it will be included this year, this coming July, in West Virginia.

The funeral home in Newark, Delaware, that held Jodi's services, offers online condolences that you can easily type in and offer to her family at www.dohertyfh.com. Her friends and family are requesting donations in honor of Jodi be sent to the Helen Graham Cancer Center which can also easily be transacted online at www.christianacare.org.

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Comments:
Hey, I'm Ani. I wanted to let you know that I've added a link to your site onto the side bar of my own. Well, links to both of your blogs actually. As a survivor I'm trying to connect with as many other survivors as I can, such as yourself. My main blog is at http://withdissonance.net if you want to check it out. If its okay with you, could I add a links to both your blogs there also? If you'd like you can add a link to either of my blogs here. Thanks so much.

~ Ani
 
we hope the site can and will continue
 
What a shame that as you said she survived and thrived and a different cancer took her away. We did not know her but we do know if you respected her she was worthy of others respect.
Sorry for your loss also.

peace and blessings and gentle safe hugs to all your parts

keepers and john
 
I'm sorry for your loss. She sounds like a wonderful person.
 
{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}
 
Ani: Thanks for visiting. As those who know me know, I'm slow at getting new links up...but I always get around to it eventually. I'll check out your blog.
 
Dr. Deb, Wanda, JIP & Keepers: thanks for the hugs and sympathy. I'm very sad about losing Jodi just when she was getting her project big for survivor awareness. I hoped one day it would be as big as The Clothesline Project. I know you didn't know Jodi, but I hope you'll check out some of the links and see how special she was.
 
I tried to send this before, but don't think it went through. If it did please delete the double.

I can relate as an abuse survivor who has experienced and battled life-threatening health traumas and crises.

My heartfelt condolences. Jodie's work and website deserve to be preserved. It is her beautiful legacy to the world.

I didn't know her, but I grieve her loss with you.

As Keepers said, "What a shame she survived and thrived and a different cancer took her away."

I'm adding her site to my blog. Her daughter has a message on Jodi's site asking people interested in carrying the torch for Jodi's work, to contact her.
 
Welcome, wounded woman. The message about carrying the torch sounds interesting...I'll have to go check that out. thanks for the heads-up!
 
Yes, I see the message now there in red. I hope someone can continue Jodi's work. Any paper-making artists out there?
 
oh no. I remember her site and your poem. this is sad news. I do hope they'll keep her site up in her honor.

Boy that would be cool if the carnival stuff could be linked to the hands project. That would be totally cool.

Austin
 
Austin: You are a master of great ideas! I have to admit I wouldn't have thought of it. I will definitely write a little memorial and link to Jodi's site in the anniversary edition of our blog carnival. I was hoping I could do something in her honor, more than making the cancer donation and doing the online sympathy message. This is a great idea and I will do it! :)
 
Visit Jodi Lee Larson's Memorial on www.findagrave.com

I am a big genealogy enthusiast and spend time on the find a grave website. I noticed that Jodi did not have a memorial set up so I set one up for her if you would like to visit and leave a note for her. She was an awesome lady and I admire the work that she did. She should always be remembered.

I requested that she be included as a “famous” grave because of all her great contributions to society and the art world. Hopefully the website will accept my request.

To locate her memorial page go to www.findagrave.com and search under "Search 19 million grave records". She is listed under "Anita Lee Larson" or you can find her in the All Saints Cemetery of Wilmington, Delaware

I did enter her nickname as Jodi but it will not let you search under the nickname.

Thanks - PaulaBrave
 
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