Welcome to the Website of
The Story
Lilly Oldham is a medical illustrator based in Cleveland, Ohio, focusing on approachable patient education for those impacted by rare diseases. In 2019, Lilly’s older sister was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer known as ependymoma (uh-pen-duh-mow-mah), which led to her family’s harsh introduction to the world of medicine and the rare disease space.
Four years, three surgeries, and two recurrences later, Lilly was tasked with finding a topic for her senior thesis project at the Cleveland Institute of Art, where she studied Medical and Life Sciences Illustration. Her experiences on the family side of rare disease care brought about the idea of creating a resource for those in the same position she and her family were in just a few years prior.
With that, Lilly created Empowering Understanding: A Comprehensive Visual Handbook for Ependymoma, which is a resource that eases patients into the world of medicine, from the medical professionals, terminology, anatomy, and more that they will likely encounter throughout their care.
Close-ups of Ependymoma Guide
(introduction to ependymoma)
(example of anatomy)
(anatomical directions)
(breakdown of classifications)
A Quick Word
Since graduating from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a BFA in Life Sciences Illustration, I have been lucky enough to work at a small, Akron-based marketing agency as a web designer and social media specialist. With Habel Media Group (HMG), I work closely with clients to create and maintain websites with SEO best practices, use Google Ads to drive site visits and conversions, and manage social media advertising through the Meta Business Suite.
In addition to my passions for medical illustration in the patient education and rare disease spaces, I am an avid knitter! You can often find me at local fiber stores and coffee shops crafting away with friends, or taking long walks and bike rides through the Rocky River Reservation.
Interested in Getting In Touch?
Send a Message!
Cleveland, OH 44106
(330) 835-8122
