Chad Estes of Boise, Idaho Joins Nearly 150 Volunteers From Across Country for ‘One Voice Against Cancer’ Lobby Day
This is the press release sent out to media stations across Idaho after my recent trip to Washington D.C.
Read MoreChad Estes of Boise, Idaho Joins Nearly 150 Volunteers From Across Country for ‘One Voice Against Cancer’ Lobby Day
This is the press release sent out to media stations across Idaho after my recent trip to Washington D.C.
Read More“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 MorePhotographer Chad Estes is on a mission to provide a revealing look at women who have battled breast cancer. By combining powerful and beautiful images with women’s stories, he provides an intimate and emotional glimpse into survivors’ experiences.
Read MoreI found a lump under my right nipple.
My first thought was, “Oh, God, no…”
My next thought was, “There is no way in Hell…”
Then they dam broke and the thoughts flooded in...
Read MoreUnfortunately, 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.
My thoughts and feelings before my art show at Boise State University in Octover of 2014.
Read MoreNo, 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 MoreWhen 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 MoreA 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 MoreNicole 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 MoreWhen breast cancer came to visit Melissa had to have a double mastectomy. Her curvaceous figure took a hit and then when she lost her hair to chemo she felt like a teenage boy.
Read MoreWhen Jan received an email from a friend letting her know about The Reveal Mission, her curiosity was piqued just enough to pick up the phone. Little did she know the healing that would result just because she took action.
Read MoreTrina followed her doctor’s instructions and got her baseline mammogram when she was 35 years old. Everything checked out fine so they told her she could wait to have another at age 40. Seventeen months later, in March of 2010 she found a lump in her breast.
Read MoreCancer was cruel to Cheryl. She lived a very active life, lived for the outdoors, and spent the majority of her free time mountain biking. It was after an exercise session that Cheryl found a lump. She convinced herself that it was from a prior injury, but after a couple of months when it hadn’t gone away she decided to have a mammogram.
Read MoreBetsy lost a breast to cancer. When she was given options by her doctor about treatments she was happy. Betsy is not one who likes to be boxed into the corner and have no choices.
Read MoreMetastatic 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 MoreRebekka didn’t have body image issues until she was 18 years old. Although she never considered herself slim, she didn’t give a whole lot of attention to her weight when it came to her self image. It changed once she was married.
Read MoreYou don’t plan to have a whole hemisphere of your son’s brain disconnected or possibly removed. At least I would have never thought so. And then my grade-school friend Stephanie told me that is exactly what she is faced doing with her 10-year old son James.
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