never talk defeat.
use words like hope, belief, faith, victory.
- norman vincent peale

i have begun a journey with max and his family, a journey of documenting max's fight for his life.

i met max back in december, when i photographed he and sam for magic water project marketing materials. max looked great. and felt great. but not long after that, i read on his blog that he was experiencing difficulties with his battle against neuroblastoma. i emailed his family and asked if they wanted to do some more portrait photos of max and the family, which i posted in a previous blog post.


now, our journey together has been expanded to me photographing max weekly. i was a little nervous making this offer b/c 1) i'm not a photojournalist photographer 2) i knew i was going to have to use flash (yikes!) and 3) i was afraid i couldn't give them enough (i couldn't live with myself if i disappointed them.) so jumping in feet first, i began photographing max last week.

one morning a week, i get together with max and photograph whatever is happening. last week, it was the 'celebration of champions'. this week, it was platelet | blood transfusions and radiation (i actually shot twice this week b/c steve is going to be gone next week and friday was the only day i could get to a 7 AM radiation appointment). i will be capturing the good, the bad, the ugly of his fight against neuroblastoma--a photo narrative of max's fight and the essence of what he and the family are experiencing.

max's dad emailed me last week, asking me if i would be interested in participating in a second blog of max's...a blog where my weekly photographs will be posted. max's parents and i will both post our thoughts, feelings, etc. on this blog. so coming soon...the 'mashed potatoes for breakfast' blog.

i can only hope that i can give max and his family a little bit of what they have already given me. this is a family that truly uses the words, hope, belief, faith and victory, and they are fighting with every bit of fight they have in them.

here's a few photos from over the past couple weeks. they won't all be perfect. they won't all be pretty. but they will all be real.--

to the tune of the 'chariots of fire' theme song, max running (with a torch) at san diego's 'celebration of champions'. yes, i was in tears but i'm in tears every time i go to photograph max. but i know that once i step in that door, my face of strength must be on and i hold back my tears...until i get in my car.


max showing his transfusion nurse where his current pain level is at, by pointing to one of the faces.


snuggling with mom b/c he wants the doctor to come so he can be done with his appointment and get back to drawing.


and a shot of max, giving me one quick look before my day was done.


the radiation room. max is sedated when he is radiated due to the radiation being on his skull.


right before radiation.

i will continue to occasionally post max's journey on my blog until the 'mashed potatoes for breakfast' blog is launched.

don't forget to LIVE LIFE TO THE MAX!