Avid readers and followers of my blog may remember last August I had the privilege of volunteering to photograph a group of children for Flashes of Hope at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.

What is Flashes of Hope?

Flashes of Hope is an organization dedicated to creating powerful, uplifting portraits of children fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.  Every month volunteer photographers and makeup artists come together at University of Chicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital to photograph children and families who are undergoing a variety of treatments.

I had the opportunity to photograph several children and their families at Comer, and have seen first hand the benefit that these sessions can provide to families.  One child was in the process of waiting for a bone marrow transplant, and in order to limit the risk of exposing her weakened immune system to infection we had to create her portraits in her room while she was still in bed.  Everyone and everything (including my camera) had to be wrapped and covered with a gown, cap, mask, and gloves.  I couldn’t help but think these limitations would take away from the experience for this young girl, and that she might not be as “into it” as some of the other kids were.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  Despite these limitations and the limited time we were allowed in her room, her face lit up as soon as we walked in and she couldn’t have had more fun having her portraits made.

One of the oldest cliches in the book is “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  And while that could easily apply to the children photographed at these sessions, the imact these portraits have on families is so much greater. For children and families who are often in the middle of treatments, the sessions are an opportunity to relax and feel good about themselves in the midst of what can be a very stressful time in their lives.

How You Can Help

Flashes of Hope currently serves the children and families at Comer, and would like to expand its efforts to other hospitals in the Chicagoland area.  The cost to photograph one child is $25, which covers the cost to produce the package of portraits each family receives from their session.  $25 is what the average family spends on a casual/fast-food dinner.  Isn’t helping a family with a child in the hospital worth more than a dinner at Panera or Chipotle?  (Nothing against those places, I LOVE the Frontega Chicken sandwich at Panera, and don’t get me started on carnitas or spicy chicken burritos stuffed with hot sauce, black beans and sour cream…….)

I haven’t finalised the details yet, however in the next few weeks I’ll be announcing a special portrait offer that will benefit the local Flashes of Hope chapter in Chicago.  There will be a special portrait offer for everyone that participates as well

If you’d like more information about Flashes of Hope, please visit their website at www.flashesofhope.org. as well  the video below which profiled FOH for the CBS Early Show back in 2006.

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