Students Transform Surgical Waste Into Art After Professor’s Cancer Journey

Kendra Frorup has taught at the University of Tampa for 20 years.Hundreds of surgical oncologists have gathered at the Tampa Convention Center to participate in the annual Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) Meeting. 

Between educational sessions on the latest advancements in cancer care, attendees walk through the exhibit hall that serves as a hub for networking. But this year, a large art installation stands in the middle of the room, prompting people to stop, take photos and spark conversation about a forgotten issue: surgical waste.

The idea for the display stemmed from SSO’s Sustainability Task Force, a group of surgeons from around the country passionate about promoting sustainability in the operating room. To help bring the vision to life, SSO reached out to the University of Tampa’s Art and Design department to enlist the creative minds of students and their professor, Kendra Frorup.  

What started as an exciting collaboration became even more meaningful when they discovered Frorup is also a breast and thyroid cancer survivor who was treated at Moffitt Cancer Center. 

“I approached the students and I expressed to them that this was near and dear to me because I am a cancer survivor in remission. Part of my curriculum is sustainability, so, this was quite fitting,” Frorup said.  

‘Moffitt Is Family’ 

Beyond the artistic challenge, the project has a deeper meaning. Frorup was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2019. 

“My mother had passed away from breast cancer two years before,” Frorup said. “She found out and was gone within a month. I knew I had to fight for myself and for her.” 

She credits her Moffitt care team for their compassionate approach.  

“When I first found out that I had cancer, one of the first things my doctor, Dr. John Kiluk, said was, ‘Your mom died from breast cancer, but that doesn't mean you have to.’ That was powerful for me. He sat next to me — not in front of me. He made me feel like I was more than just another patient, and I felt positive that I could fight it,” Frorup said. 

Two years later, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and returned to Moffitt for care. She was treated and is now in remission from both cancers. 

“Moffitt is family,” Frorup said. “It was all a positive experience. I joke with my husband occasionally that there must be a personality test for people working at Moffitt because everyone is so pleasant.” 

Moffitt played a key role in Froup’s art project by donating surgical supplies. Coincidently, she picked up the donated materials while at Moffitt for her appointment.  

The Meaning Behind the Art 

The art display, titled “Collective Support: A Tribute to Surgical Oncology,” is a three-part installation that spins in a circle, built primarily from plexiglass. The design process started with a collaboration between three of Frorup’s classes. She found plexiglass mannequin forms at a store and brought them in for inspiration.  

A team of over 60 students completed the sculpture in two months.

It symbolizes transparency and awareness as each section consists of a clear container filled with surgical materials, such as gowns, masks, gloves and packaging.  

“The students were surprised to learn how much discard comes from operating rooms,” Frorup said. “They wanted the piece to translate transformation, resilience and sustainability.”  

The plexiglass cubes are elevated on blue platforms, supported by white hands, representing SSO’s ongoing commitment to environmental awareness in health care. More than 60 students participated and their contributions became a literal part of the sculpture. The hands cast on the pieces belong to each person involved.  

The team completed the sculpture in just two months. 

“Body cast is something I do in my classroom practice in mold making and casting. So, this was a great opportunity to use it and have meaning. It is hard to get students to collaborate on projects and be all in, but with this one, everyone was passionate and very committed,” Frorup said.  

Jonathan Zager, MD

Jonathan Zager, MD, a surgical oncologist in the Cutaneous Oncology Department at Moffitt, served as the liaison between SSO and Frorup to collect the open, but unused supplies to display.

“It’s a great project. This is like two weeks’ worth of nonhazardous waste that gets turned into nice art,” Zager said, “It’s important to continue to think about sustainable ways to reduce waste and minimize the number of things we open and keep it to the amount we need to use.” 

A Labor of Love Fueled by Passion 

For Frorup, this wasn’t just another project — it was personal. 

“Someone asked me a long time ago if I would ever incorporate my experience with cancer into my work,” Frorup said, “At the time, I said I wasn’t sure how that would present itself. But as we were doing this, I thought, wow, this might be it.” 

During the planning process, she also learned her students felt a deeper connection to the assignment too.  

“Just by talking to them, I saw that everyone had a story. One student’s mom works in oncology, helping patients struggling to afford treatment,” Frorup said. “Personally, it’s a passion project, and I think it became that for the students as well.”  

When the installation’s time at the SSO Annual Meeting ends, its next destination is uncertain. But no matter where the physical pieces end up, the impact and the personal meaning behind it, will remain intact.  

“Like I said, Moffitt’s family, and this has been a great project, but it’s been therapeutic for me too,” Frorup said.