Tattoo Artist’s Medical Nightmare

Aidan White Puts Tattooing on Hold for Health Issues

In 2012, while other high school seniors were drinking in fields and following small-town drama, Aidan White was shopping for wigs. She was starting to lose chunks of her hair. Aidan was forced to miss a lot of school due to multiple health problems, including a diagnosis for Intestinal Malrotation. But a new health issue had transformed the life of the aspiring tattoo artist. At 17-years-old, Aidan White was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her left foot. While the tumor was removed, the surgeon didn’t see the bone fracture that the tumor caused. Although White was equipped with a post-operative boot, she had no physical therapy provided after the surgery.

By the time she was 18, White was removed from her family’s health insurance. “It happened so quickly,” White said. “I had a hard time grasping everything.” White had no legal, health, or familial support.

White had felt constant, excruciating, and “sharp, stabbing” pain. She also felt frustrated and alone. “Art was always there for me,” Aidan said. “My depression drove me to continue drawing.” While White had always had an interest in sculpture, oil painting, and charcoal, she clung to her pursuit of tattooing.