Throughout the new CooperSurgical.com website, you’ll see beautiful watercolor paintings that truly capture the essence of our mission. These vibrant, warm depictions of women, families, and healthcare providers (HCPs) welcome patients and customers to become part of the CooperSurgical story.
The person behind these watercolors is Kaitlin Walsh.
Kaitlin is an independent artist with a specialization in abstract anatomy art. From a young age, she displayed a fascination for both art and science. This passion led her to pursue studies in both disciplines, where she engaged in medical courses alongside her fine art studies.
“I took both my overall and potential reproductive health completely for granted for 26 years,” she says. “I was pleased at how easily I got pregnant, just a month after our wedding! And then the other shoe dropped. At my 20-week ultrasound, my son was already four weeks behind in growth and showed clear indication of intrauterine growth restriction.”
Without an obvious cause for his limited growth, Kaitlin’s medical team prescribed bed rest, eventually progressing to hospitalization bed rest to keep her and her baby safe.
Her son was delivered at just 30 weeks, at 2lb, 5oz.
“His months in the hospital were harrowing and awful, but we got through it,” Kaitlin says. “Then two years later, I was pregnant again, and it did not go well again, although much better than my first.”
Kaitlin’s second child would go through similar complications as her first and meet the world three weeks early. Then her third baby came and weighed in as her biggest: 6 lbs. After losing her fourth child at 14 weeks pregnant, doctors told her she could not get pregnant again.
“I do know how lucky I am to have three children. But ten years later we are still, both mentally and physically, dealing with the after-effects of such extreme prematurity,” she explains. “These experiences fundamentally changed who I am and how I approach almost everything—my life, my health, my children’s health, and more.”
Having experienced the challenges shared by many of the women and families we assist – wishing and hoping to take home a healthy baby – Kaitlin deeply understands the fears that accompany the path to motherhood. Yet through her journey, she discovered that doctors, nurses, ultrasound techs, and the entire women’s health community face fears together. “Throughout our medical challenges, my family and I have received invaluable support from numerous individuals. This experience has shown me the true passion and heart within the medical community,” Kaitlin reflects. “I feel privileged to have crafted illustrations for CooperSurgical, capturing their dedication and compassion across various facets of women’s health.”
