Survivor News!

I am pumped! I have been wanting to get back to the Survivor Project for a while. It stalled out on me last year as I got busier with other things and the number of survivor's contacting me to participate slowed. Yesterday I made a phone call to the director of research for OU's Stephenson Cancer Center. He said he'd just been talking about me the day before. Their staff has increased, they're in their new building, and they're in a much better position to pursue the project including getting participants and distributing the finished product.

Let me clarify something real quick - "Survivor" means you have or had cancer. You may have just been diagnosed, still be in treatment, or be in remission or have heard the word cured. You may be a one day "survivor" or a 10 or 20 year survivor. Doesn't matter. You're a survivor.

The Survivor Project is something I started after having cancer myself. I wanted to fight back, and give others a way to participate. What I have to offer that is of most value is my talent as a photographer. So, I'm photographing survivors to create portrait images that will go into a calendar, initially. Over time, it will probably also result in a book of images. The calendars & books will be sold to raise money for cancer research.

Most of the images, if not all, for the 1st calendar are relationship portraits (like our "Love Is" series), of the cancer survivor with one or more family members or a care-giver. The images are black and white, with a splash of color (usually a scarf) representing the color of that individual's cancer (just about every kind of cancer has a "color").

Another part of the project will include displays in area businesses. We will set up a display for about 1 month at a time, publicize it on Facebook, Twitter, and here. That means lots of free publicity for the businesses that provide space for the displays. We will donate 20% of the proceeds from any sessions that are booked from the displays to cancer research as well.

Now, I realize, most people are a little reluctant to "have their picture made." When you're self-image is beaten up by cancer, and even moreso by cancer treatment, you may feel like you're "not pretty enough" or "good enough" to participate. You're definitely not at your best. That's okay, I know exactly how you feel. However, this is about the emotions, good or bad. This is about the fight. This is about raising money to give cancer a major slap in the face!

For the OU part of the project, I'm looking for people who were, or are being, treated for cancer at OU Medical Center. If you were treated somewhere else, that's okay, too. I'm still working on a similar project for American Cancer Society. It just might take a little little longer since they aren't helping me find people to photograph. However, if you would be willing to help, it will happen that much quicker.