About the artist

Hi, I'm Dylan Negri. 

I was diagnosed with a type of brain cancer called Medulloblastoma in 2016. It was about two weeks after my 13th birthday and I had just started high school.

I had brain surgery, six-weeks of radiation therapy at Peter Mac and then a few months of chemotherapy at the Royal Children’s Hospital. 

My life changed a lot. I was really sick during treatment, so I didn’t go to school for the rest of that year. 

Treatment ended a year later in 2017, followed by many routine appointments. I started trying to get back to school, but I really struggled. I was still sick every day and couldn’t get back to 'normal’. I lost lots of my friends because I didn’t go to school much. I didn’t have any goals or direction. 

Then in 2019 I began studying Studio Art Photography as a subject at school and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had some direction. I felt like I had some purpose and could do something meaningful. 

Because of the after-effects of treatment and the restrictions and disruptions due to COVID, I never actually had a single stable year in high school but I adapted and adjusted to things changing.

 I realised that because I had missed so much, and the priority subjects were always English and Maths, I really missed out on the arts. I never thought I was that creative and since diagnosis I struggled with ‘normal’ school. over the past few years of experimenting with photography I have found my creative outlet and discovered it’s value.

A real turning point for me was when I did an analogue assignment on architecture in year 11 (2020) and photographed at Peter Mac. I had an appointment with my radiation oncologist and she mentioned how I will be seeing her into retirement. I realized that this follow up stuff is forever. Besides that realization, I also saw Peter Mac from a different perspective.

Looking through the lens of my camera I felt less anxious, more confident and comfortable being in the hospital. Instead of seeing the painful side of my experiences I saw a place full of innovation, creativity and life. I started noticing the art, the people, the lines, shapes and light.

It really made me look at the environment differently and that’s when I discovered the power of photography.

I, with permission, continued to photograph the architecture at both the Royal Children’s and Peter Mac when I had appointments. This helped with any anxieties and I started to look forward to going.

I continued to do photography through year 11 and 12.

Last year I did my Cert IV in photography and digital imaging at NCAT (Northern College of Arts and Technology) and I’m currently doing the diploma at NCAT and I am really enjoying it.

This year I transitioned to adult care and the Late Effects Clinic at Peter Mac, and this is where I will continue to have my follow up appointments.

Besides photography helping me with my anxiety, it has given me a visual way to communicate and share various aspects of cancer, treatment and its late effects.

In year 12 (2021) my final photography work involved sharing my experience with cancer from diagnosis, through treatment to survivorship.

This year (2023) I did a visual narrative on the late effects of brain cancer with fellow patient Kaitlyn. 

I still suffer from side effects from treatment, like nausea, fatigue, eating challenges, memory and processing issues and some other things, but this doesn’t stop me from getting on with life, I have just adapted. The thing that draws me to photography as a career choice is that it’s so flexible and there’s so many diverse opportunities.