a black and white image of a woman wearing only a white skirt showing her surgery scars

Jo-Ann

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As I took these photos I cried tears of anger, sadness, fear, strength and gratitude. So many emotions mixed into one and I’m reminded that I’m alive to be able to take these photos.  I struggled for a long time to figure out what in heaven’s name could breast cancer have gifted me?!!  Then it dawned on me, it has given me humility and compassion that I never knew I was capable of.  Cancer has given me the gift of RIGHT NOW. It has forced me to be present and grateful for now, not later or tomorrow, but right now.  The most important gift I’ve received is learning that true beauty has NOTHING to do with external, but beauty is found in the flaws, the pain, the tears, the scars because through all of that I STILL RISE.  I never understood that or believed that until breast cancer touched my life.

a black and white image of a woman naked with a black shirt hanging off her shoulder standing by a fountain

Tanya

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Cancer, in spite of being one of the worst things that has ever happened to me, has given me many gifts.  At 29 years old, the last thing on my mind was cancer, but as soon as I was diagnosed, I went into survival mode. I found strength that I never knew I was capable of having.  I knew I not only had to be strong physically for my body to handle everything it was going to have to go through, but more importantly, I had to become strong on the inside.  I had to be strong mentally to endure the chaos I was going through and I had to be strong for everyone that loved me.  That’s what made me fight, I knew couldn’t let my loved ones down.  Cancer gave me strength and I know I can get through anything because of it.