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| "Elizabeth Enjoying the Kentucky Derby" 2022. Oil on Canvas. 30" x 24" |
Elizabeth Keller is from Louisville Kentucky. She was born with NF and inherited it from her biological mother. She was adopted at six weeks old. Over the years, Elizabeth has had 5 surgeries to remove some of the painful tumors. One surgery was when she was a toddler to remove a tumor in her groin area, twice when she was 13 to remove tumors on her knee that grew back and at 16 to remove some tumors on her back and arms. Besides tumors, NF causes migraines. Some of her tumors are very painful even to the touch. Because she was adopted did not know anyone else with NF until she became and adult and found various Facebook communities.
Prep Sketch
Raising NF awareness is important to Elizabeth because she wants the unaffected population to realize that it is a genetic disorder not a contagious disease. She has had many hurtful stares, people pointing and saying hurtful things to her. Her boyfriend and her son, who does not have NF, continue to be her strength to persevere. She has participated twice in the Cupid's Undie Run held in Louisville, Kentucky and was the 1st place individual winner for highest fundraiser one of the years. In her free time, Elizabeth loves to create realistic zombie make up and costumes and show them off during Halloween.
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