Deathless Beauty

Isabel Hansen was one of several Heartland students and community members who shared stories of persistence, healing and resilience at Phi Theta Kappa's Story Slam on December 2.

Heartland pottery professor Erin Furimsky encouraged her students to create pieces that expressed their personal stories of resilience, which were later showcased at the Story Slam. Among them, Isabel Hansen crafted a striking vessel inspired by her longtime journey with psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes red, scaly, and often painful patches on the skin. Using texture and paint, she formed red, star-shaped markings to mirror what her loved ones affectionately call her “constellations.”

Hansen also shared an original poem, “Deathless Beauty,” reflecting on the complexities, challenges, and quiet strength that accompany living with psoriasis.

Deathless Beauty
by Isabel Hansen

The scars and patches on my body are never fading. They'll always be part of me, and the first thing you see.
From head to toe, the crawling sensation becomes overwhelming until its all I see and feel.
Even if people perceive me as diseased and my skin continues to bleed, there's rare moments when I'm considered beautiful.
To them, my scars and patches are constellations.
They see stars tracing my arms and legs, and identify new beautiful worlds.
They tell me "There's the Little Dipper!" and point out their favorite ones.
Even as pain still persists-
And I call for help-
Only for it to never be received-
Even on days where I want to cover myself and hide, a select few I hold dear reassure me that I am here.
I am loved.
I am unique.
I am beautiful in my own special way.