Rare, 2024, oil on canvas, 100x100cm.

‘Rare’ is a portrait of Kerry Corevski. Corevski was diagnosed with FA (Friedreich ataxia) when she was 15 years of age. FA is a rare inherited genetic disease that causes progressive damage to one’s nervous system. FA is one of many diseases that does not always receive recognition because it is considered ‘rare’. Brand and Corevski hope this painting spreads awareness for this disease which affects 1 in 30,000 people, and they hope it sheds light on the difficulties teenagers face who receive a diagnosis like this.

Brand also hopes this painting communicates how brave and courageous Corevski is. Brand watched Corevski receive this diagnosis with grace alongside her high school studies.  Brand hopes this painting sheds light on the difficulties teenagers face who receive a diagnosis like this. Corevski created a performance piece to help spread awareness for this disease. Corevski is a keen actor and has used her skills to educate, and communicate her story, through this performance piece, which was performed in her home town, Bendigo, in 2023.

Recently, a treatment for FA has been approved in the United states. On the 28 Feb 2023 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first drug ever used to treat FA.  The drug showed a positive result in slowing the progression of FA and the approval represents a milestone for developing a therapy for a disease that does not always receive recognition because Friedreich’s ataxia is considered ‘rare’. Approximately 500 Australians currently live with this disease.  Brand and Corevski hope this painting encourages the Australian government to approve this new treatment and place it on the PBS so it can be available to people like Corevski here in Australia.