"When you think of a mermaid, you think of a beautiful, alluring, sensual woman. When a woman's been diagnosed with breast cancer, especially after surgery, she thinks she's lost that spark. She hasn't." Dr. Ferrer declared during an interview about her concept creation of the Breast Cancer Mermaid™. 
All too often those diagnosed with cancer are thought to never desire the more intimate aspects of a relationship. This is far from the truth. As a world-renowned Clinical Sexologist, Dr. Charley Ferrer has lectured on sexual health and empowerment throughout the US, Latin America and China. One thing everyone has in common is their need to be appreciated, loved, and found desirable. With this idea in mind, Dr. Charley combined the allure and sensual aspects of the mermaid with the fact that women never loss their femininity merely because they may lose their breast(s).    
In 2023, Dr. Charley Ferrer created the concept of Breast Cancer Mermaid™ to help empower, inspire, and educate women, addressing body image challenges due to surgery and helping women reclaim their bodies, sensual health, and intimacy in their relationships. 
In 2024, placed a Call to Artists asking for their rendition of what a mermaid with breast cancer would resemble. "Would she have one shell, two shells, none? Would she still have her hair?" Dr. Charley posed the question to the artists. "I was thrilled by the submissions received from the artists, several of which had been personally touched by breast cancer or had a family member who was. A handful of artists submitted paintings in honor of a loved one who had been diagnosed with this disease." Dr. Charley shared. She goes on to state that two artists, Alicia Lowe and Anne Doyle created pieces of art based on a discuss they had about breast cancer and the challenges faced. Dr. Charley has some ideas for paintings she'd like to see and jokes that she only draws with "big crayons" and leaves the artwork to others allowing her to create the workshops connected to the concept of the Breast Cancer Mermaid. 
Dr. Charley received artwork from artists throughout Florida as well as two artists from English, one artist from Spain, and one artist from North Carolina. Several paintings depicted various stages of breast cancer such as the one below painted by Manjit Vohra, who won an Honorary Mention for her depiction of a Breast Cancer Mermaid™. 

Artists generously donated their artwork for this art project to allow Cancer Tamer to use them as educational aids and as a Traveling Exhibition & Educational Show. You can obtain Greeting Cards with copies of the various artwork as the paintings themselves are not for sell.
The first Breast Cancer Mermaid™ Art Project Exhibition was held during Cancer Tamer's Cinco de Mayo Health Expo on May 4, 2024. Currently you can view the artwork at Brooksville Gallery 201 located at 201 Howell Ave in Brooksville, Florida. Other exhibitions are planned throughout the year, including one at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in October.   
Dr. Charley is raising funds to help sponsor a Breast Cancer Mermaid™ Statue which will be placed in a local park as part of Florida's Tourism Board in honor of all the women (and men) who've been diagnosed with this disease. Murals with the Breast Cancer Mermaid are also being planned for 2024 & 2025.
Join us in honoring those courage women and men who've been diagnosed with this disease--and those that love them. Check out our next exhibition and make a donation to help Cancer Tamer cover the cost of the Breast Cancer Mermaid™ Statue, mural, and other programs we provide.