A few of the ladies in my office wanted to put together this symbol of HOPE using their hands for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life. I shot the photos and put together the collage, and it turned out even better than we’d hoped! If you would like to get involved in Relay For Life or make a donation, click here.
What do hockey teams and fighting cancer have in common? They both have a desire to kick butt! Saturday evening was the annual Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Night at the Missouri Mavericks hockey game. We had a great time with family & friends supporting a cause near and dear to our hearts. This will be the third Thanksgiving and Christmas without my aunt, but I don’t think the holidays have gotten any easier for my family. She’s greatly missed … we’ll continue this in her honor.
Last weekend I was an event photographer for the fabulous Making Strides Against Breast Cancer charity walk in Kansas City. It started out chilly , but it turned into a beautiful day. Best of all – the event raised over $322,000 for the American Cancer Society’s fight to end breast cancer! This year I walked the route with my camera, so I got to see some great views of the city flooded in pink.
Last week my extended family attended Purple Light – a vigil to honor & remember loved ones who have faced pancreatic cancer. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network hosts the event to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer and how desperately funding is needed for research to learn more about the deadly disease. Survival rates are the lowest among all cancers and haven’t improved over the last 40 years.
… is a world with more birthdays. Last week I was asked to photograph the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Kickoff Breakfast in Kansas City. It was held at Arrowhead Stadium and it’s a great cause, so I was happy to help out. Making Strides is an American Cancer Society 5k walk benefiting breast cancer. There are events all across the country, so if breast cancer is something you’re passionate about, check out makingstrideswalk.org.
Friday and Saturday was our annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life. During Relay we celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. Remembering is the hardest, most touching part of the evening. It’s been just over 2 years since we lost my aunt Jill to pancreatic cancer; so many others were missing their loved ones that night too. It’s not too late to make a difference – our Relay is raising money through August 31. You can make a donation here.
P.S. My canvas print of this photo sold for $90 in the Relay For Life live auction … I was beyond excited!
Friday afternoon I had the privilege of attending Shave to Save – an American Cancer Society Hope Lodge fundraiser. People are asked to raise $5,000 for the Hope Lodge. Their reward? Their heads are shaved. De De, the lady pictured below, is one of the most upbeat women I’ve ever seen … and her daughter has cancer. She and her daughter have spent many months staying for free at the Hope Lodge while her daughter undergoes cancer treatment. Despite going through such hardship, both of them were full of positive energy – constantly smiling and laughing. What an inspiration!
Support the American Cancer Society by buying one of my photographic prints.
You read it right – my office hosted Take Your Dog To Work Day on Friday. We had about fifteen dogs in the office, and for a couple of hours they were all in one room for some festivities. It sounds like complete chaos, but the dogs were on their best behavior at all times. Why did we host Take Your Dog To Work Day? I’m so glad you asked. Our staff wanted to promote a fairly new American Cancer Society event called Bark For Life, which is basically a Relay For Life for dogs. There will be two Bark For Life events in Kansas City this April/May. If you have a dog, you should look to see if there’s a Bark For Life in your area!
This weekend finally arrived … and passed too quickly. I was so looking forward to the Night of Hope – a Pancreatic Cancer Action Network gala – 1) because it was our first time attending a gala, and 2) the cause is close to my heart. My aunt passed away from pancreatic cancer last July, just 8 months after being diagnosed. Since then I’ve met so many people who have been affected by this horrible disease. It was a roller coaster of emotions; it was fun to dress up and get a fancy hotel room, but it was also incredibly touching to witness the Vigil for Hope, where everyone lit purple lights in memory of their loved ones.
Saturday morning was the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5k walk in Kansas City, and I was honored to take photos at the event. This year we had 10,000 walkers and raised over $325,000 – a new record for KC! This event is so much more than a walk. You can also experience a photo booth, live band, and survivor speakers; and take home a survivor gift and information about Society services. I took about 300 photos – here are just a few of my favorites.
Photographic Rhodes 