Hello again ...

A friend of mine shared a link with me today (thank you Chrys) that I have to share with as many people as I can.  It is pretty amazing, but it is also very real.  It hits close to home for me, because Breast Cancer runs in my family.  My grandmother died from it and my aunt is a survivor, and I guess I never really "saw" until now.

 What I am talking about is The SCAR Project:  Breast Cancer Is Not A Pink Ribbon.  Like everyone else out there, I know about Breast Cancer.  I know what it does and I know someone who has died and someone who has survived.  I support the foundations and I race for the cure, but I never really saw.  I never really saw what Breast Cancer took away; I knew, but I never saw.  Until now. 

Their Mission:

The SCAR Project is a series of large-scale portraits of young breast cancer survivors shot by fashion photographer David Jay. Primarily an awareness raising campaign, The SCAR Project puts a raw, unflinching face on early onset breast cancer while paying tribute to the courage and spirit of so many brave young women.

Dedicated to the more than 10,000 women under the age of 40 who will be diagnosed this year alone, The SCAR Project is an exercise in awareness, hope, reflection and healing. The mission is three-fold: raise public consciousness of early-onset breast cancer, raise funds for breast cancer research/outreach programs and help young survivors see their scars, faces, figures and experiences through a new, honest and ultimately empowering lens.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in young women ages 15-40. The SCAR Project participants range from ages 18 to 35, and represent this often overlooked group of young women living with breast cancer. They journey from across America – and the world – to be photographed for The SCAR Project. Nearly 100 so far. The youngest being 18 years old.

Although Jay began shooting The SCAR Project primarily as an awareness raising campaign, he was not prepared for something much more immediate . . . and beautiful:

For these young women, having their portrait taken seems to represent their personal victory over this terrifying disease. It helps them reclaim their femininity, their sexuality, identity and power after having been robbed of such an important part of it. Through these simple pictures, they seem to gain some acceptance of what has happened to them and the strength to move forward with pride.

David Jay has given me the gift of sight.  He has reminded me the reason I race for the cure, the reason I support the foundations.  I think I lost track of that somewhere along the way, as I am sure may of you have as well.

We tend to lose sight of what really matters.  We become complacent in life and we forget to fight when we really need to fight.  This is not a shock and awe.  That is not why I want you to look at the pictures and read the web site.  I want you to look at the pictures and then I want you to look at all of the people you love and I want you to remember why we race and why we fight.

I love you Aunt Charlotte.