The Journey of a 1,000 miles begins with one step... This blog and the website http://www.journeyofhopeproject.com/ are the first steps of many in the creation of the Journey of Hope multimedia project. The Journey of Hope Project shares the experience , strength and hope of those that are battling cancer.
The project was started as a pro bono photo collaboration by photographer Brian Malloy of Boston, MA and Barbara Vejvoda, a Philanthropy Officer for South Shore Hospital's Health and Education Foundation. The project's original aim was to provide a face to the courageous patients battling cancer at South Shore Hospital, a regional hospital located just 17 miles south of Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The original idea was to photograph patients and exhibit their photos at the hospital's annual fundraising gala so that people would remember why they where donating money to the hospital's cancer care cause.
As the project commenced with interviewing the patients during studio sessions in the early spring of 2007, we realized that each patient had a poignant story to tell, and that each patient's life --before and after cancer-- was a miracle in the making. We realized that photos without a story would be, well, just pretty photos! As the patients started sharing their stories we realized that the experience, strength and hope of these survivors needed to be shared with all that would listen. We realized that an exhibition of photos and text in a gallery at a black-tie soiree wasn't going to reveal the miracle that unfolded as each of the patients sat with us and revealed their stories.
Their stories consist not only of their cancer care experience, but of their innermost thoughts, fears, insecurities as they were diagnosed with cancer and started on their path to recovery. We heard about the "Chemo Club" at Dr. Rolf Freter's office and his amazing staff who cared for them, and provided hope and comfort. We listened as patients shared their stories about the people who supported them as they went through their treatments. One common denominator that threaded through the stories was that each patient didn't know what to expect once they were diagnosed. They turned to the internet to read up about their cancer and to find others who shared their experience. Some found a wealth of knowledge where others finally stopped looking at the information online, finding the material was mostly clinical and depressing. Each of these newly-diagnosed men and women wanted hope, and they were looking for people to tell them that it would be okay. We felt that having a place for people to come and share their stories, and for people to identify with these people, would be a good place to start.
As this project progresses, you will see the faces and hear the stories of people that have been diagnosed with cancer, and are living the Journey of Hope. You will see strength in their faces, and hear hope in their own words, and you will be moved. Stay tuned...the best is yet to come, and as the saying goes "a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
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