Waconia artist provides tattoos for breast cancer survivors
A Minnesota artist is on a mission to help breast cancer survivors.
After finishing graduate school just outside Chicago, Cheryl Rae Shohet moved to Waconia thinking she'd only be here for a couple years.
Then, she opened a quaint shop for artists.
"This just gives them a home to sell their work," she said. "Not everyone wants to sell their work at art fairs."
She became a staple of the community but wanted more.
"Really what I want my art to do is to have my art do more than pretty pictures and to have more of a purpose and helping others with it," Shohet said.
Roughly five years ago, Shohet learned the art of tattooing.
"I had a friend who had breast cancer and she was sharing her journey with me. I had not heard of tattoo being part of reconstruction for breast cancer survivors. When I realized that was something being offered, I wanted to be part of that community and give them a wonderful end product," she said.
One of her clients was someone who she worked with in the past. Stacie Papenfuss developed breast cancer at age 44. After her multiple surgeries, she needed a final touch — something Shohet could provide.
"I think Cheryl gave me a confidence boost and to see myself as I used to was really great," said Papenfuss.
"I want them to feel like they did before any of this happened," Shohet said. "And make them feel beautiful when they look in the mirror."
She does these tattoos at no cost for survivors.