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"Photo Shoot Program puts spotlight on cancer patients" on Norfolk's ABC affiliate

April 06, 2007  |  Posted by Kathryn Barrett

Photo shoot program puts spotlight on cancer patients

Instead of models posing for pictures, cancer patients and their families got to have the spotlight in a photo shoot called "Flashes of Hope".ť They had their makeup done by Wadsworth Style, the region's best commercial photographers, all in a conference room at the children’s hospital.

The photographer’s assistant, Sonja Garringer, encouraged 9-year-old cancer patient Hannah Kjelvik and her mother, Jennifer, to relax as if they were on a beach in the sun.

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Flashes of Hope
Hannah is going through chemotherapy treatments for leukemia. For these moments frozen in time, Hannah's not a kid with a disease. The camera just sees a kid.

"It's awesome, makes me feel like a model and I like feeling like a model. It makes me happy," said Hannah.

Photographers who volunteer for Flashes of Hope see past the disease to a child's eyes. Photographer Len Rothman tries for a natural look.

"We just try to get them to interact and chat and we just shoot away," said Rothman.

In their pictures, you see a child, not a child's illness. These families are going through a stressful time but in the pictures you see happiness and strength.

The snapshots become memories of happy children who are also little warriors capable of teaching the adults a thing or two about adversity.

“These folks are going through probably a fair amount of difficulties and maybe this will lighten the day somewhat," said Rothman.

If you would like to get in touch with the local chapter of "Flash of Hope," you can contact Melia Trost, Norfolk Chapter Director, at 757-572-1048.

http://www.wvec.com/news/health/stories/wvec_medical_040607_photo_cancer.3b6081cf.html

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