"There are many emotions that can be difficult for others to understand": Poppy's story

My childhood with cystic fibrosis (CF) seemed very normal and active. It was only when I went to university that my health declined and I was listed for a double lung transplant the summer that my Fashion Design degree ended. I waited three and a half years for my call and it completely changed my life. Physically, my transplant has given me much more freedom that I’m so very grateful to my donor for. However, the psychological impact of adjusting from being very unwell to suddenly well was very difficult for me and I used art to help me recover from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  

I applied for the Helen Barrett Bright Idea Award a few months after my transplant, and when I got the call to say I’d won I was truly elated. I decided it was a sign to start my career as an artist with my newly gifted health. I purchased a large easel, a digital camera, four extra-large canvases, and a heap of acrylic paint! I hid myself away for three years obsessively painting, drawing, and practicing phototherapy – a process used to deal with the darker side of living with a chronic illness.  

Living with CF and receiving a transplant is a unique experience and there are many emotions that can be difficult for others to understand. I believe we need to release them subconsciously and that's what art does for me. I don't know what I have created until I look back at it, but everything I create is a coping mechanism for these 'unique emotions' from living with CF.  

I felt very ashamed of a lot of my work in the beginning; everybody kept saying to me, “Why don't you make nice art that people want to hang on their walls?" I felt like people would judge me and tell me to "get over it" but I really couldn't stop. Then COVID-19 happened and I isolated alone for many months, making more and more art with this wild determination that I would do an exhibition one day. 

In May 2021 I turned 31, had all my vaccines and began planning my exhibition ACHIMERA in the hope that I’d be able to pull it off – and I did! The best thing for me was watching people’s attention change from looking at their phone or chatting with a friend, to suddenly becoming silent and really focusing in on my drawings and photographs. People came to thank me at the end and that was the most important moment for me; after all these years of doubt, I knew I’d done the right thing by staying true to myself in my art.  

To any budding artists out there I would say, stop scrolling and start experimenting. You will fail so many times but with experience is confidence gained.  

You can follow Poppy on Instagram @poppyrobertsart. 

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition which causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system. It affects more than 10,800 people in the UK. One in 25 of us carries the faulty gene that causes it, usually without knowing.

Since 1964, we've supported people with cystic fibrosis to live longer, healthier lives - and we won’t stop until everyone can live without limits imposed by CF. 

If you’re struggling with any aspect of cystic fibrosis, we’re here to help. Contact our Helpline for support, a listening ear or just someone to talk to. 

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