Symbol of Hope
In 2003, Earl Aldridge was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and on this same day, his father died of lung cancer. During these difficult moments, Earl found solace in his art and was inspired to create his vision of cancer survivorship with men in mind.
The male cancer survivor symbol is appropriately named, "Triumphant". Overcoming cancer is one of the most significant victories survivors can achieve. In his painting, the solid blue image in the foreground represents the many journeys male survivors take. The background depicts thousands of cancer cells merging with the pink cells that celebrate women, and the navy blue cells that represent abnormalities.
Earl's chemotherapy treatments were tough, but his faith and desire to create never wavered. Today, Earl remains cancer-free and attributes his healing to God's grace. Earl desires to be a light by inspiring and encouraging men so they, too, can be healed and live the life of their dreams.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), men have higher rates of getting and dying from cancer than women, and the American Cancer Society (ACS), reports some of the cancers that most often affect men are prostate, colorectal, lung, skin cancers, and testicular. You can lower your chance of getting certain kinds of cancer through cancer screenings. Cancer screening exams can detect cancer early when the chances of successfully treating the disease are greatest.