Rise Above

“My only rule for this is that you never look down on me. I’m better than your pity. The reason that I don’t normally share my story is that I’m in a better place than I should be. My reality is that I should either be dead or a crack-whore. I’m absolutely one of those girls that is from the wrong side of the tracks,” she pauses, “but I’ve made it to the other side.”

Read More
Acting on the Realities of Metastatic Breast Cancer

Unfortunately, too many of our friends find out they are facing breast cancer of another color than pink. The current numbers are staggering. As many as 30 percent of those who have battled breast cancer, like my friend Trina, will see it come back. And if it spreads, 97 percent of the
time it can be slowed, but not stopped.

Read More
Prayer and the Reveal Mission

No, I don’t make it a habit of ‘laying on of hands’ when I meet with a woman who has breast cancer. In fact, since I am often taking pictures of them revealing their scars I am careful not to touch them at all. But I also don’t hesitate on giving them one of my hands to grip during the middle of a procedure or exam. And I get a lot of chest to chest hugs (though many of them don’t have the nerve endings to feel it any longer). And the last time one of them kissed me it was from her deathbed and I don’t think that I’ve ever received such a holy kiss.

Read More
High and Low Lights this Week with the Reveal Mission

When I shared my journey towards taking these portraits Heidi embraced me with her smile. When I explained that I initially faced this project with trepidation and that I had to ask friends to literally help build my faith and confidence – she understood. She also expressed the same gratitude towards my friends as I feel in my heart.

At the end of the night Heidi embraced me in a hug and encouraged me not to stop this project. I think she fueled it for a long time to come.

Read More
What Didn't Kill Me Made Me Stronger

A couple of years ago I was contacted by a young lady in high school who heard that I was helping people share their scar stories. Cara told me she had a gnarly scar that ran the length of her spine due to a scoliosis surgery. She was getting into modeling and didn’t want the scar to hold her back in any way. She asked if we could do a photo shoot together that shared her scar.

Read More
Life After Cancer

Nicole discovered she had cancer in August of 2009. The lump that her health care providers had told her for two years was just a cyst, ended up being much more. It was the eyes of the ultrasound tech that gave her the terrifying news that there was something wrong.

Read More
Putting the Reality of Cancer into Words

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) steals the lives of 97 percent of its victims. There is no cure; it is basically a death sentence. Treatments won’t cure the disease; they just keep it at bay as long as humanly possible, or until the patient says, “I’m done. … ”

Many breast cancer patients don’t realize these harsh statistics. Even some oncologists stumble when it comes to explaining the severity of breast cancer if it metastasizes.

Read More