CEDAR RAPIDS - Putting your everyday emotions into words is one thing. Expressing your thoughts on being diagnosed with a devastating disease is another.

"Oncology on Canvas" allows women who have been diagnosed with cancer to express their emotions through art. It’s currently on display at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.

Dawn Baker, 60, is a local cancer survivor and stopped by to see the exhibit. She says she thought that being diagnosed with breast cancer meant a death sentence but she soon realized a positive attitude was the key to recovery. "You have to laugh everyday and you have to believe, 'Hey, I'm going to make it,'” says Dawn.

Now, four years later she can celebrate because she's a survivor. But going through this gallery brings back a lot of the emotions she felt during her treatment. She says, "Oh, there's emotion in every one of them."

But for Dawn, one of the pieces speaks louder than the others. Dawn describes the painting by saying, "It shows a tree and a strike of lightening and a branch broken off and you say, 'Yes, I've had a little branch broken off but that remaining tree and trunk is still growing' and that's how I feel."

Each one of the gripping pieces sends its own message. Sometimes its anguish, other times its determination and in some cases its defeat but Dawn always seems to find something to smile about. She says, "It's something to think about and it makes you want to live and have fun and laugh every day."

Dawn has actually created a booklet called "Fear Breast Cancer Not: The First 20 Days and Beyond."

She chronicles her personal experiences to guide women who have just been diagnosed with breast cancer. To receive a copy, e-mail Dawn at carneybaker@mchsi.com