This Smiling Eyes session was not like the others I have done in the past because this time there is a personal connection. I know Lynsey and when I heard she had cancer  I was like most…in disbelief.

and when Lynseys found out about Smiling Eyes and went to the site saw that she saw that I was one of there team phtoographers. I was thrilled when she emailed me to shoot her session. OF COURSE I would take her photos! I had a wonderful time with her and Steve and we walked through the manure filled field by my home to get some incredible and fun images.

Lynseys Story….

My journey with brain cancer began very suddenly in December 2011. After years of complaining of headaches, migraines and other symptoms my doctor finally sent me for an MRI on November 26, 2011. I left work for an hour to have this done, never expecting that I would not be returning to run the wedding that night that I had been planning for months. After being in the MRI machine for only 15 minutes, the radiologist pulled me out and asked if he could put a die in my bloodstream to better see “what was in my brain”. I agreed and that was the moment that I knew something was seriously wrong. For the next half an hour I sat in that machine thinking over and over “What is he trying to see better?” and re-assuring myself that it was a normal thing to have this die added in the middle of a scan. Once the scan was complete he told me to call a family member to come to the hospital and go to the emergency department right away. Now as if I wasn’t worried already, the speed at which I got into emergency would have been cause for concern. The nurses knew I was coming before I even got there and I was in a room before I knew what was going on. Moments later I heard the words that would change my life for ever…. The emergency doctor told my dad and I that I had a brain tumor. I could tell how much it pained her that she couldn’t answer any of our questions or provide us with more information. I just sat there as her and my dad talked about I don’t even know what, trying to understand what I had just been told. The rest of that night is a blur. I do remember a few things though – the image of my tumor of the computer screen, my mom’s face when we got home from the hospital, and the phone call to my boyfriend telling him he needed to get to Guelph as soon as possible.

Over the next few weeks I met with specialists, had dozens upon dozens of tests done, had a biopsy and answered the same questions I think about a million times. Finally on December 15, 2011 I was diagnosed with an Oligodendroglioma brain tumor in my right frontal lobe. The tumor had been there for about 4 years at this point and was about 9 centimeters large. The team at the Juravinski Cancer Center in Hamilton discussed my case in detail and we decided to start a year long chemotherapy treatment. I am in the middle of this treatment now. And while each day has its own unique challenges I have never been more thankful in my entire life. The love, support, encouragement and motivation that I have received from my family, friends, co-workers and complete strangers has blown me away. The name of this team is dedicated to all of you – you are THE FIRECRACKERS in my life. While this name is also what a close friend and personal mentor likes to call me, a “firecracker” – I am still deciding if this is a good thing or not ; ), I think it best describes my support system through this journey as well. You guys light me up when I am feeling down, put a smile on my face and inspire me to keep pushing. So thank you. I do not know where I would be without THE FIRECRACKERS in my life.

I know that with your support I will kill this thing! It is my goal that my team and I can raise $18,000 for the Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada. This amazing organization has not only personally provided me with a great deal of support throughout this journey but also with information, resources and inspiration. The services that they provide truly are life changing.

Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and being one of my FIRECRACKERS.

For click here for more information about brain tumour foundation and or to make a donation