Contests

NeuroHumanities Network Spring Awakenings Contest

Reimagine "The Cookie Theft Picture" in the spirit of Halloween

CONTEST #3

NeuroHumanities Network Spring Awakenings Contest

Prompt: Submit any form of artistic expression - sketches/paintings, music, patient-care reflections, museum-inspired learning, poetry/writing, or any of your own creative ideas for Spring Awakenings! All submissions will be entered into a raffle draw, and a winner will be selected.

WINNER

Weeds

By Lindsey Havenga

Some know them as weeds

Unfit for a garden

Cut down,

Poisoned.

All for the good of the group.

For the sake of uniformity.

Yet persistent they are.

Growing in spite of it all.

Much to the dismay of those that own the land.

And I wonder

Is the weed okay?

Does it feel sick from the poison?

Tired from all the growth required

To stay alive in a world fertilized with hatred.

But to a different audience

It is sacred.

Giggles fill the air

As he blows the dandelion

The quiet buzz of a bee

Relieved to find a patch of clover.

Bright purple hues emerging from sticky toddler fists.

The doe peacefully grazing upon the vine

While her fawn stands beneath her.

And I wonder

Who stratifies us as weed and lawn

And I wonder

Who gives them their authority?

About the artist

Lindsey Havenga is a fourth-year medical student at the Medical University of South Carolina. She originally graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Biological Sciences, and after marrying her college sweetheart, she returned to school to pursue a degree in nursing. She is a mother of four wonderful children, ages 10, 8, 5, and 2, who continue to deepen her understanding of resilience and the meaning of caregiving. Before entering medical school, she worked as a registered nurse specializing in pediatric care of children with medically complex diagnoses, an experience that continues to shape both her clinical interests and her perspective in medicine. She is drawn to the intersection of science and lived experience, seeking to better understand and honor the patients she is privileged to serve.

Artist's Description of the Poem:

I drafted this poem as a reminder that our patients deserve our optimism. The current medical system is heavy for both patients and providers, and it is easy to fall into a cycle of subconscious negativity. I make it a personal challenge to pick my favorite thing about each patient, and I include it in my handoff. Sometimes people are so lovely that it is impossible to pick only one favorite thing, and alternatively, some patients are having a tough time and I can only like their fingernail polish. Regardless of what "favorites" you may find, the search for positivity will change the narrative, leading you to be surrounded by flowers in a field that was once filled with weeds.

CONTEST #2

NeuroHumanities Network Cartoon Contest

Prompt: Draw a comic, cartoon, or graphic related to the Neurohumanities to become the inaugural NHN Comic! Entries may be comical, serious, realistic, iconic, or abstract.

WINNER

Self-Portrait by Martha Valenta

Martha Valenta, an interdisciplinary artist who shares her “Self-Portrait” showcasing life with ADHD.

A few words from the artist

"Self-Portrait is a sketchbook marker drawing that is part of my ADHD Brain Coral series. That ongoing series, which has gone in a handful of directions, captures what it feels like inside my ADHD brain: tangled, colorful, ever-moving. I work across digital, painting, and mixed media, but my favorite projects are immersive and interactive. I want people to touch the art, walk through it, laugh with it—and feel seen by it.

"My work helps me (and others with ADHD) find self-acceptance, while also offering our loved ones a glimpse into what ADHD actually feels like from the inside out. As someone diagnosed later in life, learning I wasn’t broken—just wired differently—changed everything for me. That understanding fuels everything I create.

"My immersive installation Lost & Found Meditation debuted at the Saint Louis Art Museum and will appear at the international CHADD conference in Kansas City this November. It—and other works like Ca$h-ta$trophe and You Can’t Win—will also be featured in my solo show Attention Disco at the St. Louis Public Library’s Central Branch in June 2025. The show celebrates ADHD through playful, accessible, multisensory experiences designed for everyone."

Click here to learn more about the artist and her works!

OTHER SUBMISSIONS

Sweet Dreams by Shreya Chalapalli

Shreya Chalapalli, an MD candidate from University of Missouri-Kansas City, shares a collection exploring how people cope with loneliness and isolation in different settings and phases of life.

The Brain by Saroj Kunnakkat

Saroj Kunnakkat, assistant professor at Montefiore Medical Center, shares his own graphic of how the brain interfaces the neurohumanities – “The Brain.”

Almost Synapse by Sabrina Awuah

Sabrina Awuah is an MS1 at Netter Schhol of Medicine who has an interest in radiology and medical illustration, clearly showcasing her skills in her cartoon named “Almost Synapse.”

Delusions of Reference by Galina Gheihman

Our cofounder, Galina Gheihman, portrayed the complexities of our minds. In “Delusions of Reference” she portrays a common scene where a learner sees themselves in a textbook of Psychiatry.

Reading between the Spikes by Rida Farhan

One of our team members, Rida Farhan, incoming intern at Carilion Clinic - Virginia Tech Neurology shared a cartoon named “Reading between the Spikes.” Here she shares her own lived experience while undergoing an EEG recording.

CONTEST #1