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. 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, by Tori Moeller utilizes background, color and organization to emphasize the physical and emotional 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. Cancer can be put into perspective, however, people will need to rearrange their priorities and how they wish to spend their time as the disease now controls their everyday lives. 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. The use of a dominant color such as fuchsia in this image explains why some colors tend to be more powerful than others. Using a strong, vibrant, and saturated color implies that the message is strong, bold, and powerful. For example, people would perceive this message differently if a dull, boring color was used. The message clearly grasps the viewers interest and attention and allows them to comprehend the impact of the tone being used. Further, the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” can be oppositely interpreted when understanding the significance of words on their own. The beauty behind a message without the use of pictures is that it allows for multiple interpretations which allows the message to be universal and objective. The importance of the background in photo 2 becomes relevant when noticing the ESPN microphone that the man pictured is holding. While the ESPN microphone is not necessarily significant, it does make the viewer recognize the importance of hard work and dedication. For instance, it takes hard work and dedication to overcome any of life’s obstacles and that is noticeable when looking at the man in the picture who is the protagonist of the photo essay. 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 a physical and emotional impact on an individual’s life. Photo two and three are placed in a row because they portray a similar message, that hard work and dedication pay off no matter what obstacles or road blocks you face in life. 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. The shift from the man to the cause that he supported is significant because it is shifting from a personal life story to an impersonal event. While every cancer victim has their own personal story, everyone is able to become closer in regards to relating their own stories to impersonal events that impact not just one person, but people from all aspects of life. 

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 situations and experiences. Again, the message here is just words standing on their own and the significance of that is it allows for people to visualize how this relates to their own life without being distracted by an image. 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 along with the images and messages used can be directly applied to anyone affected by cancer. 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 an individual’s life, but it takes hard work and dedication in order to refuse to let it change someone. The use of color and background in the photos emphasize key factors in the story which directly relate to the theme of cancer impacting an individual both physically and emotionally. Also, the protagonist of the photo essay is not often used because it is important to keep the theme universal and objective as it is supposed to relate to a variety of individuals. 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.

 