Non-profit Fuck Cancer and creative agency Mischief @ No Fixed Address have launched The Mark of Life, which pairs cancer survivors who have undergone radiation therapy with tattoo artists, transforming their treatment marks into customised works of body art.
The radiation dot ‘tattoos’ applied during external beam radiotherapy are part of the precision aiming process – tiny ink dots and markers that guide oncologists. While clinically vital, for many survivors they remain daily reminders of trauma and vulnerability.
According to one study, around 70% of women treated for breast cancer with radiotherapy reported negative feelings about those marks – and 78% would have preferred treatment without them, even if it meant additional travel or inconvenience.
The Mark of Life provides survivors who are at least a year into remission (and have medical clearance) the opportunity to turn those permanent markers into “symbols of hope and optimism”. More than 100 tattoo artists across the US have signed up to donate their time, including high-profile names such as Herschel Carrasco, Scott Campbell and Jake Karamol, the ‘CEO of Tattoo TikTok’.
One survivor, identified only as Abbe, who received the first Mark of Life tattoo, describes the experience: “Cancer takes a lot out of you – and gives you a lot too. Like things you didn’t ask for: scars, trauma, fear. My radiation marks were a constant reminder of that. But I started to think about cancer as a teacher. Every day became precious. That’s what I had my tattoo reflect.”
From a creative and design perspective, the project is worth noting for its blending of artistic craft and personal narrative, as captured in a beautiful launch film directed by Dan DiFelice and Jackie Bao for Biscuit Filmworks. Elsewhere, the flash sheets and custom alphabet developed for the campaign invite survivors and tattoo artists alike to co-create.
According to Mischief’s associate creative director, Vanessa de Beaumont, the concept was formed following the death of a friend and colleague’s aunt. “She had received radiation marks during treatment, and we heard stories from others with a similar experience. By the end of that afternoon, The Mark of Life was a dozen-page deck and it’s only grown from there.”
For anyone interested in exploring the intersection of art and purpose, this initiative offers an inspiring blueprint: a tactile transformation of a clinical necessity into something deeply personal and expressive. Survivors, artists and donors can sign up via The Mark of Life’s website.
