There are so many diseases found in the world. Some of them can be cured easily, while others can cause years and years of suffering before any pain comes to an end. Unfortunately, cancer is a disease that affects many families worldwide and has been the leading topic of research institutions for years, as doctors fight to find a cure. There are many different types of cancers and the disease is almost intricate in the way that it spreads and grows so rapidly in order to destroy body tissue. However, it is truly inspiring that there are people who have fought and who are fighting this disease that chose to remain strong and have a positive outlook on life. Cancer makes it impossible for all of its victims to survive, but those that fight to the finish are truly inspirational. The photo essay, “Dear Cancer, I Hate You,” utilizes background, color and organization to emphasize the impact that cancer can have on an individual’s life.

Though most people can go through just about anything and cause it to put life into perspective, for cancer victims it is completely different. Once people are diagnosed with what could be a life threatening disease, they will begin to view life differently. Photo one emphasizes that cancer will most definitely change someone’s life, however, it does not get the power to define who someone is. It displays this message by using a vibrant color as a background and quoting “Cancer- Life Altering, But Not Defining” in white. This makes a bold statement by using contrasting colors to draw in attention to the message that is being explained here. Photo two shows the background of a regatta, a series of boat races that various crew teams participate in. But the importance of the background becomes relevant when noticing the ESPN microphone that the man pictured is holding. This is important to the theme of realizing the impact that cancer can have on an individual’s life because it shows that anything is possible if they set their mind to it. When cancer victims are fighting to stay alive, they have to remind themselves of the saying “mind over matter,” much like people do when they are working towards accomplishing a dream or a goal.

 Further, the photo essay, “Dear Cancer, I Hate You” uses organization to express the theme of cancer having an impact on an individual’s life. Photo two and three are placed in a row because they portray a similar message, for an individual to remain true to themselves no matter what life decides to throw their way. For example, photo three is an image of the logo for Cycle4Awareness which is an organization that works towards raising money to give back to people suffering from mental disabilities. If being an athlete was once what defined someone, they can still inspire people by participating in organizations, such as Athletes Helping Athletes, that bring people together through athletic events. It is important for cancer victims to still value the same things but to use those values in a way that is not only beneficial to themselves, but to others as well. 

Although there are multiple inspirational stories about overcoming cancer, unfortunately not all who are diagnosed survive. Organization, color, and background are important factors in the last two photos. Photo four is powerful because it is placed after two photos that are meant to reveal the impact of overcoming struggles in order to accomplish dreams, however, it is placed before photo five that reveals the harsh reality of being diagnosed with a life threatening disease. Photo four has a white background with black lettering containing the quote, “I can be changed by what happens to me. I refuse to be reduced by it. ~Maya Angelou.” The words “changed” and “reduced” are bolded which implies a powerful message because it makes the statement more meaningful as it can be applied to other scenarios other than cancer and how a disease will drastically alter an individual’s life. It also reveals the importance of an individual remaining true to themselves no matter what situation they are currently dealing with. Photo five shows a powerful image of a grave stone with a message that will live on forever. This was an important photo to end the photo essay with because it stands for itself. The quote “If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever,” speaks volumes of a tragic cancer story coming to an end. 

Lastly, all of the photos used in the photo essay tell a story. It is much more than telling a personal story because the theme can be directly applied to anyone affected by cancer, whether it is a friend, or loved one that is diagnosed. The photo essay starts out using a quote that becomes powerful through the use of color, it carries on by showing the background of what it takes to overcome struggles in order to accomplish dreams, and it ends by revealing the harsh reality of many cancer victims all while showing that yes, this disease may impact your life, but it takes will power and motivation in order to refuse to let it change an individual. The photo essay was organized in a way that tells a story without having to explain that story. The use of color and background in the photos used emphasize key factors in the story which directly relate to the theme that emphasizes the impact that cancer has on an individual’s life. Indeed, cancer will drastically impact an individual’s life, but by using inner strength, will power, and motivation it will give anybody enough strength to fight their disease. Unfortunately, not all diseases end on a happy note, and this is one of them, however it is not the finish that is inspirational, but rather the fight, and that can be clearly seen through the images in the photo essay. This essay was not designed to let anyone believe that fighting cancer is an easy task, rather the opposite, that this disease will impact your life to the point where you are fighting to stay alive.
