Survivorship

This month is a big month for cancer awareness. It's best known as breast cancer awareness month. But did you know it's also:
Gynecological/ovarian cancer month
Childhood cancer month
Prostate cancer month
Leukemia & Lymphoma month

So, for the month of September, if you call and schedule a family, child or senior session for September or October, 50% of your session fee and 10% of your order will go to American Cancer Society or to Oklahoma CureSearch Walk for Children's Cancer.

And, today, I got an e-mail from OU Cancer Center that they aren't going to participate in the Survivor Project this year after all. I was a little disappointed. But at the same time, it was a little liberating. I was waiting to hear from them, thinking we would be moving forward aggressively toward getting photographs and designing a calendar to raise money for them. So I was kind of holding back on pursuing the broader project, since they wanted the photos to be of their patients.

When I originally went to them, I was looking for two things. The first and most important, was a willingness to be on the receiving end of the project - mainly because that's where I was treated for my own cancer, and I really wanted to give something back in the form of raising money for research. The second was maybe some help in finding more people to be photographed for the project. I figured on doing the design work and getting the calendars printed myself, and even doing the distribution for the most part through area businesses. They seemed to really catch a vision for it and were offering to do more - including the printing and helping with the distribution through the hospital and through various support groups. However, the more they seemed willing to take on, the more the bean counters were wanting to see some numbers, and the more they realized they didn't have the time to invest in it this Fall.

So, here we are! No help. No resources. Only a passion and a plan.
I need help from area business who are willing to donate to the printing of the calendars. We may need to raise about $5000 to print 1000 calendars - unless we can find a printer willing to give us a better price. If we can sell the calendars for $20 each, depending on the help we get with printing that's around $15,000 we can raise to fight cancer.

If we can get the people in front of the camera, we could print an 18 month calendar (July 2012 through December 2013) to sell next Spring. Other wise we would sell it in the Summer & Fall as a 2013 calendar.

In addition, I will print images to be displayed in area businesses, like the displays we have at Contemporary Family Dentistry and Ribs 'n' More. We will publicize the displays in order to drive traffic to the businesses, and may even have a contest where people can vote on their favorite images. If anyone books a portrait session from the cards we will have with the displays, 10% of their session fee and 10% of their order total will also be donated.

So, I'm also looking for cancer survivors - that means you currently have or have had cancer. You may still be in treatment, or you may be "in remission," or you may have been declared cancer free. This may be your first year to deal with it, or you may be a 20 year survivor. Doesn't matter. You may not feel great, or feel particularly pretty, especially if you're still in treatment. I know the feeling. Been there. I'm a survivor, too. That's why I want to fight back and give cancer a punch in the gut. And I'm asking you to join me. Call me at 517-4654 and let's talk about how we can create an image of you that will make a statement and help give cancer a worse beating than it's given you! It won't cost you anything. If you want to purchase photos, I'm not out to make money off you - how does just 10% over cost sound?

Tell your friends who are battling, or have battled cancer, to call me, too.