a journey

I think one of the biggest challenges of being a blogger is knowing how much to share. 

What parts of your life should be laid out on the pages of your blog and which should stay far away from the publish button. But some times external factors and emotions can unintentionally influence your writing. And then come the times when the emotional pull of something makes it impossible not to write about it. Blog posts may start from a link, a photograph or one word that triggers a whole cascade of words and paragraphs. This post is one of those. 

It all started with a link received in an email. I was at work last wednesday and since I have been playing a mental tug of war; should I write this post, should I not. And if I do, how much am I going to share? Since I am here you know the part of my brain that won. I have quite selfish reasons for writing this post though i'll be honest. I feel that writing is my therapy so to speak and therefor, to put some words out there in front of me on a screen, may help me assemble them in a place in my brain. 

Cancer is a scary word that appears more frequently in our vocabulary than ever before. Whether you have been directly or indirectly affected, most people now-a-days know someone, or know of someone who has been affected by the C word. Which is kind of worrying since in this day and age, with technological advancements and scientific wonders (dont talk to me about conspiracy theories) we have yet to find a way to tackle this disease head on/prevent it/and eliminate it completely. 

This article is the sole reason for this post. Angelo Merendino, a photographer, documented the journey after his wife, Jennifer was diagnosed with cancer. He says about his photographs; 

"They humanize the face of cancer, on the face of my wife. They show the challenge, difficulty, fear, sadness and loneliness that we faced, that Jennifer faced, as she battled this disease. Most important of all, they show our Love.  These photographs do not define us, but they are us."

When I was 9, my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I watched the cancer absorb her body, affect her emotions and take over her life. It left her bare; a shell of the women she was. Every year for the past 15, I have had a different idea, understanding, emotion associated with what happened to my mother. And it is only now that I can talk more freely about it. Because I have come to terms with the fact that cancer is like a journey. For the lucky ones, the journey is short and the light comes at the end of the tunnel. For others, it is nothing but problematic and tiresome. Whether you fight it or not, the ending can still be the same. 

Angelo and Jennifer, bravely took a camera along on their journey. They documented the stages of the disease, the process of treatment and the changes that inevitably affect everyday life. Sometimes I feel like cancer is one of the last taboo subjects. People don't know who to talk about it because it brings with it so many fierce emotions. 

The story of Angelo and Jennifer and the photographs, made it to major news outlets around the world. And in the wake of his wife's death, Angelo started The Love You Share, a non-profit organisation to financial assist women receiving treatment for breast cancer. For more information visit his website.