Meet Christine - a Survivor, a Fighter & a Walk

Breast Cancer.
I cannot say the word without getting annoyed.
Some of you may know the battle my own Mom fights.
Stage 4.  My Mom.  It never stops hurting when I say it.

But if you talk to my Mom you would never know how hard the battle has been because she is determined to live life. 

I have been apart of a network called Think Pink Photography.  The network helps breast cancer survivors and their supporters to celebrate life with charitable photography sessions.  Their site is currently down, however, I am still participating in this organization because of how closely affected I am to this awful disease.

A few weeks ago while I was on vacation with my Mom and boys I received a request from Christine.  Christine wrote "I am a breast cancer survivor still going through radiation treatment (following surgery and chemo) and want to get a photo of me the way I am now - not quite completely bald anymore but pretty close to it! I have been documenting this journey in a blog, and I would love to get some photos to complete this terrible and wonderful journey I have been on. Thank you. Chris "

I was able to share with my Mom immediatley about the inquiry and she was and is so supportive of anyone that can stare down the evil and give it the finger. 

Please allow me to introduce Christine... She is a Sister, a loyal friend, a talented actress, and can make you feel as if you have known her forever in an instant.  (She is even great at ditching the cops!! hhaha right Chris? )

We had so many laughs together.  Real laughs.  And we talked.  Talked about the horror of chemo.  We both shared stories, me of my Mom, her of her own experience.

Now meet the fighter.  The woman that has endured so much in her life was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer earlier this year. 



There needs to be a cure.  There HAS to be a cure.  SOON.  On October 17th, 2010 at Jones Beach, NY I will be walking for my Mom.  For my Aunt.  For my best friends Mom. And for Christine.  And for every Mom, Sister, Grandmother, friend, Aunt, cousin that you know that is suffering for the disease. 

When I set the goal for $100 I thought it was a little high.  With the economy like it is, it was hard for me to ask for donations.  But when I did I was BLOWN away.  Have I mentioned I have the most amazing friends and family in the WORLD?  I have raised nearly $400 so far and I still have about 60 days left to raise money to help find a cure.

You can watch my video here :  MY BREAST CANCER TEAM PAGE

I want to thank Christine for contacting me.  You have touched my life with your story.  You are a soulful person with so much personality.  I truly hope you see how beautiful you are in these portraits!!

THANK YOU AGAIN!

Giving Back - Part Two

Last Monday I did a post telling you all about the Think Pink Photography network.  They help give back to fight the evil we know called Breast Cancer..

This week I want to share with you another really important photography network I belong too.  It is called The Single Parent Project - Turning lemons into lemonade.  I first heard about this network when they were just launching, on a photography board I belong too.  I literally jumped up and down to be apart of this network.

Quoted from the site:

"The Singe Parent Project - turning lemons into lemonade is a non-profit organization founded in February 2009.  This organization, while small right now, strives to become a huge nationwide group of photographers, that provide free or reduced rate custom photography to single parents around the world."

Growing up in a single parent household I saw how hard my mom struggled to give my sisters and I anything nice.  I don't care if it was a pair of socks, my mom struggled to make it the nicest pair of socks we ever wore. 

I watched all of my friends get awesome family portraits, or school photos while we passed because we needed food instead of photos.  I clearly remember the two times my Mom spent money on family portraits, once when I was about ten and then the other when I was about 19.

Those pictures still hang up on her wall.

Then there are my two baby sisters, both single parents.  They provide their kids with everything they could possibly need, but family portraits are not on their top priority because it is a luxury cost to them. 

With my family it is easy to give back.. I love to take pictures of my sisters and their boys.  And my sisters are MORE than willing to be my photo subjects.  (anyone meet my sister Jenny? she loves the camera)

In a nutshell, parenting is hard work.  It is hard when there are two parents in the home, let alone being a single parent.  In my own life I am trying to show my boys that giving back is super important in how the world works.  Giving back feels good.  It makes me truly appreciate all the wonderful blessing I have in my life.

The Singe Parent Project is just another small way I can give back.  If you know anyone that could benefit from their services, pass along their name.  (please remember I get nothing from mentioning them either, I am just getting their name out there!)

If you are a photographer and are interested in becoming apart of this network their application is HERE.

                                    photo of my baby sister and her two boys