Since being diagnosed with ovarian cancer three years ago, painting has proved to be a great solace for Peggy Spratt.
"I have the painting to get me up in the morning," she said.
Dr Spratt has been painting for years, saying art, along with music, has "taken over my life".
She did not start painting until later in her life. Dr Spratt was a researcher in physiology and later worked in the public service.
She studied an art degree at the Australian National University in the early 2000s and after retiring became a voluntary guide at the National Art Gallery.
But as she nears the end of her life, Dr Spratt's love of art and her paintings will hold a different meaning. It will be her legacy gift.
She will be selling some of her artworks with the proceeds to be donated to ovarian cancer research.
"I had this idea of having a party and then inviting people to choose a painting and I wouldn't charge for it but I'd ask them to make a donation," she said.
When she told her oncologist about the idea, Dr Spratt said she was told about an initiative by the Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group where they sell artworks via an online platform for this purpose.
Dr Spratt will sell 20 of her paintings as part of the "Peggy Spratt Legacy".
While she is able to sell her paintings online, Dr Spratt still held a party this weekend with about 50 of her friends and family.
She said the party would an opportunity to thank those around her. It will also be an early birthday party, Dr Spratt's 80th birthday is in March.
She also said she wanted to celebrate her life now.
"People have wakes when they are dead," she said.
Dr Spratt was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2019. It was a shock diagnosis that only came about after she made an offhand comment to her general practitioner about having constipation.
This comment triggered an alarm bell for her doctor who said it was a symptom of ovarian cancer, she was diagnosed shortly after.
Dr Spratt has undergone surgery and multiple rounds of chemotherapy but unfortunately she is now on a palliative plan as her disease is no longer curable.
Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group director and chair of the research advisory committee Alison Davis said the group is undertaking various clinical trials looking at treatments, certain drugs and end-of-life care.
Dr Davis said funding for research was vital and she said it was difficult to build awareness of gynaecological cancers.
"In the modern times as well where there's a lot of competition for a pool of money and the government funding is becoming harder and harder to, we can't rely on just government grant funding," she said.
"We need to find our own source of funds if we're going to keep moving forward in their field and opening studies and having patients enrol in them. It can't be underestimated. It's completely essential.
WomenCan, which supports the Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group, is managing the sale of Dr Spratt's artwork.
WomenCan head of fundraising and development Karen Livingstone said the group was starting to make good progress on research but it was crucial to keep doing more.
She pointed to the five-year survival rate of 49 per cent for ovarian cancer sufferers.
"We need more research and to do more research, we need more investment," Ms Livingstone said.
Dr Spratt's art can be bought on the WomenCan website.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
