I had a truly incredible experience while shooting yesterday, but based on how the assignment materialized, I was lucky to have made any pictures that meant anything. I was sent to shoot a breast cancer support group called the Bosom Buddies for a story about holistic care after chemo. I'm actually still not sure what the story is about (but not for lack of trying to figure it out), and the group had no idea I was visiting yesterday. We'll chalk it up to lack of communication in the newsroom. All I knew was that I would be taking pictures at a support group meeting.
While waiting with the president (left) and a board member (right) during a small pre-meeting meeting, another board member (center, was supposed to be at the pre-meeting meeting) showed up late. When she arrived she had a stunned look on her face and pointed to her shirt, which read "Stronger than yesterday". Just minutes before, she had found out she tested negative for liver cancer. She had previously survived four separate bouts of cancer and had had nearly 30 surgeries to get rid of them, so she was ecstatic.
As she started hugging her friends, I quietly got up and snapped some photos and THEN introduced myself to her. She gave me a big, long hug and apologized for this being my first impression of her.
I've never experienced anything in my life that I could possibly call upon to relate to her situation. My stomach hurts thinking about descending into the hell of cancer four times, and the stress of believing a fifth trip is imminent. I've never known that fear, so it goes without saying that I've never felt the elation that was now filling her soul.
This interaction was entirely unplanned and transformed an annoying confusion into an incredibly beautiful moment that I will remember for a long time.
