...lift off for 2008

It all happened so quickly. I guess the corollary to that would be that when something is right, it's right for a reason. Through a friend I was recently introduced to Dr Paula Rauch, the Founder and Director of the what has become the Majorie E. Korff PACT (Parenting at a Challenging Time) Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. The Program provides counseling services to parents (and their families) who have been diagnosed with cancer. Issues such as addressing the child's reaction to and understanding of the situation and helping the child cope with the extremely difficult situation when the parent is dying are among those that may be addressed. The service is provided for free to parents who are being treated at Mass General. It is a GREAT program.

While I had been in discussions with three other hospitals over the past couple of months, I met with Paula one time and the "die was cast". Staff members are in the midst of the Selection process (they are selecting nine children whose parents are in the PACT Program who will become my 2008 Young Photographers). The Initial Meeting/Training Session is set for June 21st. The only missing piece to the puzzle is the venue for the fall Exhibition.

The children will be taking pictures of their respective parents and completing a writing assignment in conjunction with this portrait. I will be doing a portrait of each child with his/her parent.... and the parents also will have a writing assignment to complete. Details for the 2008 Project: Tomorrow will be available on the web site www.ypikids.com starting next month.

While I am extremely excited about the unique opportunity that I am going to have to work with these kids and their parents, I am also enormously apprehensive about the responsibility I feel to make it a meaningful experience for all. My intent is to share this experience, it's highs it's lows, for better or worse.