Oldham's reach extends to the west coast!   |   Wednesday, December 21, 2011





As one of Lansing's quieter organizations, The Oldham Project has made noise in Los Angeles this past week and is making a visual impact to honor a store owner with cancer!
"ORANGE", a high end furniture store commissioned a window to be done for the holidays, that honored the battle women are fighting with cancer... women who are coming out on the other side, stronger and more powerful for having gone through the 'fire'. The store owner herself, was recently diagnosed with cancer and wanted a display to reflect the journey. The young man,
Chad
, who is a professional 'window dresser' contacted us regarding the images he'd seen on the internet and The Oldham Project...
what an exciting phone call that was for us!
Back and forth we went in discussions about the legalities and details and viola, The Oldham Project images are now hanging in Los Angeles, near Beverly Hills in a store window for the month of December! Look closely and you'll see many of the familiar faces you've seen on this blog over the past couple years...
Thank you Chad, thank you ORANGE for the opportunity and the generous donation and thank you to the brave women we continue to see on a weekly basis! You make us proud to be a small part of your lives.

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With great sadness....   |   Friday, December 16, 2011



With great saddness, I share with you that our most recent Bold and Beautiful woman, Molly F. has left this world to join the angels in Heaven.... she passed away just a short week after her portrait session with her children...
Please keep these young people in your thoughts and prayers.

Melinda Lou "Molly" Fox- 1951-2011

Melinda “Molly” Fox, 60, of Charlotte, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, December 13, 2011. Molly was born May 2, 1951 in Fremont, MI, the daughter of Jay and Lois (Boeskool) Brookhouse. She taught Elementary Physical Education for 27 years in Eaton Rapids at Northwestern Elementary, after teaching at Fremont High School, totaling over 35 years of educating. Molly was a lifeguard for over 40 years and was one of the first female umpires in the State of Michigan. She was a sports enthusiast, coaching Eaton Rapids softball and kept an amazing assortment of gym shoes, so none of her students would have to go without. Molly was happiest on the beach, especially Lake Michigan, where she loved to collect “beach treasures.” She especially loved family gatherings and, as a single parent, was devoted to her two children. Many will remember Molly’s generosity and the loving friendship she shared with everyone. She is survived by her children, Alana Fox and A.J. Fox, both of Charlotte and many other extended family members. The family will receive guests on Thursday, December 29, 2011 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Pray Funeral Home in Charlotte, MI. Memorial contributions may be made to Susan G. Komen of Greater Lansing or Eaton Community Hospice in Charlotte. Online condolences may be made at www.prayfuneral.com. Arrangements by Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte, Michigan.

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Final arrangements....   |   Monday, December 12, 2011






ter•min•al |ˈtərmənl|
adjective
2 (of a disease) predicted to lead to death, esp. slowly; incurable : terminal cancer.
• [ attrib. ] suffering from or relating to such a disease : a hospice for terminal cases.
• [ attrib. ] (of a condition) forming the last stage of such a disease.
• informal extreme and usually beyond cure or alteration (used to emphasize the extent of something regarded as bad or unfortunate)

Tina M. sat in our studio, just a couple of weeks ago, and spoke frankly and emotionally about the end of her life and the plans shes making... the memories she's trying to create....and the things she'll miss...
Diagnosed, just a short 6 months ago with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, she now counts days. Originally thought to be an infected gall bladder, which they removed... the nausea and vomiting persisted...leading to further testing, which found her pancreas and some of her abdomen filled with this ugly cancer.
Everyone around Tina is dealing differently with this diagnosis... some separate themselves and stay in the comfortable place of denial. Some have voiced concerns about, 'what will happen to them when she's gone', and most have rallied around her to support, pray for, physically help and mostly love her with wild abandon. Her only sister, Teresa feels a profound loss already as Tina moves closer to the end of her life, but, "we live in hope. Every day is a new day and we believe in the power of prayer."
Tina says, "My priorities have definitely shifted and my world has gotten 'very small' these days. When I'm alone, I do lots of planning... I'm cleaning and sorting things, designating things I want to go to certain people. I've organized my jewelry and recorded some books for my grandkids... and to surprise my family... I've left letters all over the house, hidden, for them to find someday when I'm gone."
She is surrounded by lots of extended family... a family that is extremely close and feels the end creep closer with each and every day. But a life of joy and love that will live on in all those who have come to know and love Tina. "I want to leave a legacy behind".... not in things, but the "legacy I've built my whole life."

Each of us could be given this diagnosis at any moment... would you be ready to accept it as bravely and with the grace that Tina has? Who have you surrrounded yourself with? Will those people be with you to the end? What will your legacy be?

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A most difficult shoot....   |   Monday, December 5, 2011







As a photographer, most of us are pretty comfortable being on the backside of the camera and are confident in our abilities, creativity and skill... until we're photographing ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPHER! At least this was the case for me when photographing my friend and fellow photographer, Deb S.
Deb was diagnosed with breast cancer on March 14, 2011 after having a diagnostic mammogram prior to starting a routine treatment... totally caught off guard, she was angry. She went in for a routine mammogram, totally unsuspecting and CANCER??
A normally busy, active and involved photographer, she immediatelty thought of "everything it was going to take from me." Deb is a mom, grandmother, business woman, award winning photographer, volunteer and WOMAN... "I thought about being less than a woman... I was being robbed and I was angry. They were taking part of me away, not just my hair, but part of my body." Not long after chemo started, her very LONG hair started coming out by the handful... leaving her feeling more angry and out of control.
Although, she knew what to expect, as her Mom had breast cancer too, and Deb herself has dealt successfully with previous uterine cancer and cancer of the appendix at age 31, this has caught her by surprise. "It's temporary, but I still feel robbed."
Our self image is so important to us... The Oldham Project and this program inparticular is so important to helping women SEE that despite the loss of hair, or even body parts, they are still so beautiful, so powerful and so 'in charge' of their mental health and well being. Please help us spread the word by sharing this blog post with those that may need it today!

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Priorities shift in a heartbeat....   |   Thursday, December 1, 2011





Melissa B. has always taken care of herself, eaten healthy foods, exercised and been in good health.... but that changed in a moment, when she discovered a lump in her breast. After a negative mammogram in December, life went along as normal, till early summer, when she found an obvious lump. Her priorities shifted in a heartbeat....saying it took a while to set in, after hearing the big "C" word, "You hear it happen to other people, everyone else, but I've never heard 'you have cancer'."
The tumor is still there... measured with each chemo treatment. She prays and holds her breath with each measurement and treatment.
"Our lives changed- if anything good can come from this, I realize all the things that are precious and that I took for granted. Life WAS like a big race and now we've slowed down and try to look for those things that are really important." Sounds like her children are some of those... rallying around Mom, they all helped to shave her head when it was apparent that the chemo was winning the battle against her hair.
Melissa, like most of the women we meet, is a BIG advocate for self-breast exams. "Just do it."
Jeremiah 29:11- "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
...and she clings to that.

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