Vinings Photographer | Gold Hope Session

This year I have been working with The Gold Hope Project to help Fighters and Survivors of pediatric cancer.  I had a session with a local “Fighter” recently.  I am so happy to now know Audrey, her mom and also her dog, George. Audrey is a Fighter for the second time with Neuroblastoma and has started chemo again this summer with a phase I trial at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.  We met one morning in Smyrna the week she started this new trial.  When I asked her mother what made Audrey the happiest she said “Dogs” so it was important to me to have George be a big part of our session.  I am so glad he was there.  I don’t think he cared much about having his picture made but he really brought out Audrey’s personality.

I ask all prayer warriors reading this to please pray for Audrey and her family. Please pray that the trial she is currently on is successful and mostly pray for a miracle as that is what is needed the most.  You can read more about Audrey’s story on Gold Hope’s Facebook page HERE.

If you know any other child under the age of 21 that is currently a “Fighter” of cancer or one that is a “Survivor” of the disease, you can direct them to The Gold Hope Project Site so they can apply for a session of their own and help spread awareness of pediatric cancers.  They can request me as their photographer or another one if they are not local.  It is an International organization with hundreds of photographers waiting to donate their time and give to others what they do best.

From Gold Hope Project’s Mission Statement:

The Gold Hope Project is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. The Gold Hope Project is a group of international photographers that have come together to photograph families completely free, with the hopes of bringing about awareness of and raise funds for Pediatric Oncology Research and treatment.

These purposes include:

* Photographing families of children 21 and under, who lost their battles and share their stories.

* Educating communities in which we live about Pediatric Cancer

* Support, Encourage and raise funds for Pediatric Cancer Research

* Resources for families who are facing a recent diagnosis

* Support community of other families who are facing similar Cancer diagnosis

* To photograph any child 21 and under with a current or past cancer diagnosis. They can be at any stages of treatment or be a childhood survivor.

More precious than the gold that represents them, children are our future. This year alone, approximately 13,500 parents will have to listen to a doctor tell them, “Your child has cancer.”  Can you imagine?

There are twelve major types of childhood cancers. From there, they are broken down into three groups.

• Leukemia (cancer of the blood)

• Lymphoma (cancer of the immune system)

• Solid tumor (cancer in bones, organs, or tissue)

While the survival rate has increased over the past 40 years from 10% to nearly 80%, the number of children diagnosed increases slightly each year. And, while there have been many medical advances in the field of cancer research, treatment of pediatric cancer is still very aggressive and can have many lasting side effects. Some pediatric brain tumors, such as brain stem gliomas, are terminal upon diagnosis and no new protocols have been developed in 30 years. Despite the astonishing number of children being treated each year (approximately 40,000), funding for the research and implementation of better treatment remains largely underfunded.