An art exhibit held at the Galerie Gora in Montreal, Canada, has used photographs and short stories to share the experiences of eleven people with acromegaly. You can read the source press release by the Canadian Pituitary Patient Network at Newswire’s website by clicking here.
About Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a rare and commonly under-diagnosed hormone disorder caused by the overproduction of a growth hormone, which can cause body tissues and bones to grow more quickly. Often, it is diagnosed in people who are aged between thirty and fifty, although it can develop at any age. Acromegaly develops when the pituitary gland just below the brain produces too much growth hormone, which is often caused by a non-cancerous tumour in the gland, although this is not always the case. People with acromegaly may develop early symptoms such as changes to their ring size or shoe size, tiredness, difficulty sleeping, changes to facial features, and numbness in hands, amongst others.
The Art Exhibit
Santino Matrundola, a local photographer and acromegaly patient, shot the Light of Day exhibit. The event was made up of the photos and unique stories of eleven people with acromegaly and is designed to show how patients are “living and thriving despite the challenges” of acromegaly. Santino says that he wanted to bring attention to how people with acromegaly use their “hope, positivity, and energy to overcome this disease.” Brent Baker, who is involved in the Canadian Pituitary Patient Network, emphasises the need to raise awareness about acromegaly and to encourage people to seek help for the under-diagnosed condition.
The event was supported by the biopharmaceutical company Pfizer Canada Inc., with a spokesperson for the company saying that they are “so pleased” with the art exhibit.
