By Alex Carrigan, Assistant Managing Editor, ASTRO Journals
On Tuesday morning, ASTRO Annual Meeting attendees gathered in the Communities Lounge for, “A Dose of Art: The Art, Poetry and Humanity of The Red Journal and Radiation Oncology.” This special session informed attendees about the opportunities for publishing their art on the cover of the Red Journal and publish their poetry in the journal’s “A Dose of Poetry” section, as well as helping cultivate the arts in the field of radiation oncology.
Red Journal Editor-in-Chief Sue Yom, MD, PhD, FASTRO, introduced the panel, noting that “the arts are a critical part of what can be restorative and even spiritual in our practice. ... Arts will always be part of the Red Journal.” Art Editor Matthew Farrell, MD, MFA, then discussed the journal’s section devoted to poetry. After briefly discussing his writing background and some common terms regarding poetry and medicine, Dr. Farrell reviewed the first year of the new journal section, which has received more than 90 submissions since it began in early 2025. He also discussed the acts of reading and writing poetry, focusing on topics such as specificity and language. “Even in the course of a single page, [poetry] can change my outlook on the world,” Dr. Farrell said. “I’m looking for poems that help me see the world anew.”
Dr. Farrell then introduced Matthew P. Mumber, MD, the first poet to be published in the journal’s Dose of Poetry section. Dr. Mumber spoke about how poetry is part of his contemplative practice and how it helps develop mindful communication and daily health practices, stating that “awareness is the first step of healing. ... healing is difficult work.” He noted three steps to mindful communication, including showing up and opening up to others, listening deeply and speaking truthfully, and letting go of judgements, expectations and outcomes. Dr. Mumber then concluded his section by reading his Red Journal poem “If Medicine Were My Spouse” to the audience.
Dr. Farrell then concluded the poetry section of the event by reading select poems published in the Dose of Poetry section, including poems like Tara P. Menon’s “Alignment Mark,” and he discussed each piece further. He also invited the audience to share their thoughts after his reading, allowing participants to discuss what stood out and what emotions they felt hearing and reading the poems.
The presentation then moved on to discussing the Red Journal’s cover art, with Art Editor Jennifer Bellon, MD, FASTRO, explaining the history of the cover art when former Editor-in-Chief Anthony Zeitman, MD, FASTRO, began publishing cover art in 2012. “[Art] reminds us of our humanity,” Dr. Bellon said. “It’s so important to think about our whole self.” Dr. Bellon explained how the editorial team selects cover art for the journal, even sharing past covers. Dr. Bellon spoke about how they look for a variety of mediums and unique perspectives, with artists coming from all sorts of roles in the field of radiation oncology including residents, medical physicists, patients, and more.
Annie W. LaVigne. MD, then spoke about integrating the arts into health humanities. After defining the health humanities, Dr. Lavigne discussed the benefits of integrating them into the field, such as helping physicians develop empathy, observation skills and aspects of compassionate care. She also shared her personal history with the health humanities, including examples of her art and other writing projects she had published in medical journals including the Red Journal and Practical Radiation Oncology. “I felt more connected as a physician than I ever had in my training,” Dr. LaVigne said, explaining reflection rounds she developed with her department to look at art and reflect on themes, which helped form a community and support their wellbeing.
Dr. LaVigne concluded her presentation by sharing various Red Journal covers and asking the audience to share their thoughts on what art elicits from them. Some images made participants think of images like cancer cells, soldiers and jigsaw puzzles, while others evoked feelings of nostalgia and chaos as they looked at the work. After sharing their thoughts, Dr. LaVigne then revealed the context behind the pieces provided by the artists, to the surprise of the audience. She also provided a QR code for attendees to view an online gallery of selected journal covers.
