MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — For this week's "On the Town," a cancer survivor is painting to raise money for cancer research. It's at the Dancing Crane Gallery in Bradenton, where local artists are donating a portion of the proceeds to the American Cancer Society.

With a dip of a brush, Joan Schnuerch lets her thoughts paint for her.

“Every once in a while, I feel I want to be wild,” she said.

It’s an art form she’s been practicing since she was a little kid, creating anything with the tip of a brush.

“I paint sailboats. Being out in the water is a similar freedom as when you paint; it makes me feel free,” she said.

Painting has helped her through tough times in her life. In 2002, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It takes the mind away from the worries of ‘How are you going to survive?’” Schnuerch said.

Four years later, she was diagnosed with colon and ovarian cancer.

“Dealing with three cancers at once, we made our will, and I was all set to say goodbye to everyone. I had children; I had a husband. I wasn’t ready to go,” she said.

But she underwent chemo and received good news in 2010.

“I did the chemo, and yeah, it worked,” she said.

But with each flip of a page in her photo album is a reminder of how positive she was.

“You have to continue living; you can’t just sit back and feel sorry for yourself,” Schnuerch said.

And some tough moments.

“I cried just once when my husband drove me to the hospital when I went in for the mastectomy,” she said.

Painting was her therapy. Now she’s using her skills to sell her artwork to raise money towards cancer research, also hoping people feel the sense of freedom she does when they look at her paintings.

“I always have sailboats in my dreams and thoughts — always so freeing,” she said. It’s nature that gives her inspiration to create beautiful pieces of work.

“Peaceful. I love how the wild weeds and grasses grow around the pond,” Schnuerch said.

Using her skills for a good cause to help others who are going through what she did.

The event will go on for the entire month to raise money for the American Cancer Society at the Dancing Crane Gallery at 1019 10th Ave. West, Bradenton, Fla., 34205.