Rays of Hope

Yesterday I headed to the Barney Estate in Forest Park to photograph a rally event for Rays of Hope! Rays of Hope is an annual walk to support finding a cure for breast cancer, and since its start 16 years ago, it has raised close to $8.3 million to improve the breast health of people in western Massachusetts. The funds raised by all the dedicated walkers and sponsors of Rays of Hope go to offering community education and outreach about breast cancer, providing medically advanced breast cancer care, from initial diagnosis all the way to recovery, and local breast cancer research. It is an amazing event, and one that I have wanted to get involved with for a long time, if I hadn't been moving all over the country :) Having a stepmother who was affected, who lost her mother to breast cancer, and now having an aunt going through treatment as well, it really hits close to home for me and my only regret is that it took me so long to get involved. I e-mailed Michelle Graci, Fundraising Events Manager at Baystate Health Foundation, to see if they needed any photos for website or advertising purposes. She invited me to the event and I had so much fun! It's really inspiring to be around people that are willing to help others, expecting nothing in return. Breast cancer has touched so many lives, and to be able to come together to try to beat it and overcome the odds is so powerful. Michelle was a sweetheart and so was everyone else I met, and I can't wait for the next rally event, and of course the walk in October! If you'd like to learn more about starting a team or donating, please click here. The Barney Estate is actually where a good friend of mine got married, and it's a beautiful venue...