The Face of Cancer

This is the face of cancer. Yep! Those beautiful, bright green eyes, that full head of hair and a face that’s glowing with expression and energy. Not what you would expect with a blog title like that. With her permission, I want to introduce you to my dear friend Laura Black. Laura was diagnosed in 2007 with breast cancer and, while pregnant with her third child Caroline, went through a mastectomy and chemo. After 8 months of being cancer free, she learned that it had metastasized to her lungs. She has been through several chemo and medication treatments and clinical trials, but her cancer is still growing.

We’ve been praying for Laura to be healed for 3 years now and the Lord keeps saying “wait” and reminding us that this is all part of His plan even though we don’t understand and can’t comprehend the big picture of “why?”. Laura is truly the most positive, energetic cancer patient I’ve ever known! Sometimes I forget she’s even battling this! She’s so kind and… hilarious! Her humor is still intact through all of this! She never complains, is the first to volunteer for things and always looks for an eternal perspective in her circumstances. She is such a testimony for the Lord and His provision for her and her family through this journey. If you met her you would like her instantly. I did when I met her almost 12 years ago on the dock at a friend’s lake house.

Laura just found out that she will go to Nashville Tuesday to see if she will qualify for a new clinical trial called the T-DM1 study. We are all very excited with her because this study has produced some very encouraging results in other patients. Please pray with us that Laura will be accepted and that this treatment will shrink her tumors.

Also with her permission, I will share with you Laura’s Caring Bridge site so you can follow her story. It’s truly amazing and encouraging.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lblack/journal

Laura asked me to photograph her with her daughter Caroline for a fund raising project that UAB is doing to fund a lab in the new children’s section of the hospital. So she and Caroline dropped by this morning for a 5 minute session in my backyard.

7 thoughts

  1. I am so sorry to hear about your friend! She is so beautiful and I love the pictures that you posted and the story that you shared. I will pray for her to be healed and for her to get the new treatment nessesary for her full recovery. I will pray for you as you go through this time with your friend. I have been there and it is a tough road.May god bless both of you.

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  2. Wow these photos of Laura are completely STUNNING!!! I have followed her story through facebook/caringbridge for a couple of years. She has been such an encouragement to me (even though we have never met), and she gave me lots of courage when I found out that I had cancer (thyroid). She never ceases to amaze me with her bravery and her love for our Savior!! What a blessing she is to me.

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  5. Laura is beautiful and her inner beauty shines so brightly from her gorgeous eyes and awesome smile. I am praying for her… thanks for using your amazing talent, Heather, to take these great pictures of mother and daughter.
    Much love,
    Sandee

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  6. My daughter, Gwen Camera, knew Laura in Birmingham and has shared her story with me over the years. What precious pictures! You have captured her inner beauty as well as her physical beauty. We live in Nashville so perhaps I should let her know that if she needs a place to stay during her visits we have plenty of room.

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  7. Pingback: Well done my friend « Heather Durham Photography Journal

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