CALEIGH & LYNDEN STEELE

This summer marks nine years since our mother was first diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. For us, cancer was nothing new to our household. Our mom had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as a teenager and cancer and its management were constants in her life. What we realized with her breast cancer diagnosis was that this cancer affects so many families. Suddenly, so many of our peers were sharing a similar experience with their moms.

For years, we have looked for a way to support other families navigating the Breast Cancer journey. Just recently, we realized our project was right before our eyes. The morning our mom left to undergo bilateral mastectomies, we happened to take a few family photos on the front lawn. We were still in our pajamas and my grandfather came by to drive my mom to the hospital. The snapshots remind us of the love our mom felt as she started down this pathway.

We believe that all families (however family is defined for you) might like a professional photograph celebrating the caring and support that is at the heart of the matter. So we approached the photographer that has delivered many of our family memories, Jeffrey Shaw. We were thrilled that he also saw value in our idea – offering photo sessions to women at any point in the breast cancer journey, free of charge. And so, Pink Portrait Project was born….

In 2010, Jeffrey Shaw did a major photographic exhibit for The Susan G Komen Race for a Cure called Portraits of Hope. The 10 large scale portraits represented women who have survived breast cancer from 1 to 52 years. The traveling display has been featured in Central Park, on the USS Intrepid and The Time Warner Center in NYC. It was a life changing experience for Jeff which inspired him to say, "Absolutely!" when asked by Caleigh and Lynden to help launch Pink Portrait Project. Jeffrey is based in Manhattan and has been the go-to photographer for an exclusive clientele for 30 years. His portraits have appeared on The Oprah Show, CBS News, in "O" Magazine, People Magazine and New York Family Magazine.  He travels nationwide photographing his clients at destinations that are meaningful to them while also hosting inspiring public speaking events, workshops and seminars for entrepreneurs and small business owners.