Life Genomics
Life Genomics
I wanted this painting to depict a child affected by chromosome deletion as all that they are.
The joy and colour that they bring into the world, as they live with the adverse complications and symptoms of their condition.
I hope that although I have depicted chromosomes and genetic code in the painting, the viewer sees the child first, before considering the full impact of symptoms that can include bad mental health, sleep disorders, psychosis and eating disorders.
Children with rare genomic conditions shouldn’t just be seen as their medical condition but as children who live life to the full like any other child.
Artist – Nadia Koo
Born in Cambridge, heavily influenced by childhood stays in Dominica, with its lush tropical leaves, abundant fruits and the iridescent glimmer of hummingbirds amongst giant blooms, Nadia Koo brings a vibrancy and energy to her art that excites.
Painting between her garden studio and her caravan by the Suffolk sea, Koo draws inspiration, blending worlds. Colour is the life blood that connects and flows between each series of her paintings.
Scientist – Dr Samuel Chawner
Medical Research Foundation Fellow, Cardiff University
The rich and varied lived experience of children with genetic conditions and their families is all too often not reflected in research. The IMAGINE-ID study, through working with children and their families, has gathered developmental and mental health data on over 2500 children living with rare genetic conditions, uncovering the impact on cognition, communication, social ability, motor function, mood, anxiety and sleep functioning.