Children's Cancer Research Fund (CCRF)
Every week, 38 kids pass away from cancer.
We want to stop this, so we support the brightest and boldest minds whose groundbreaking research is leading to better treatments and cures.
We also fund vital family support services and advocate for childhood cancer education and awareness.
Today, Children’s Cancer Research Fund is a national nonprofit, and thanks to donors and partners around the country, we have contributed $170 million to research, education and awareness and quality-of-life programs for childhood cancer families.
We believe kids deserve safer, less toxic treatments, and we’re committed to funding groundbreaking research and services that enhance healing and care.
Click here to visit the CCRF website to read more about the organizqation.
I won't lie...I wanted to keep this little man.
Congrats to the "G" family on their new addition. Thank you for allowing me to photograph him! For more information on newborn sessions email us at [email protected] or send us a message on Facebook!
Brooklynn
At the tender age of two, Brooklynn Rose Lynch was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma—cancer in both eyes. What started as her parents simply noticing a slight reflection in Brooke’s eye, quickly transformed into a cancer diagnosis. Indeed, it was fewer than 48 hours between Brooklynn’s first doctor’s appointment and the date of her first chemo treatment.
It has now been two years since that life-changing day, and Brooklynn has been through a lot. Following her diagnosis, Brooklynn underwent monthly sedated eye exams and hospital admissions for two days of chemotherapy. Being so young, it was difficult for her to understand why the doctors and nurses needed to do so many procedures. But she persevered through it all—though she was not shy to share any disapproval with her nurses :)
Five months into her treatments, the doctors informed Brooklynn’s parents that the tumor in her right eye was not responding to treatment. After consultation with her medical team, the impossible decision was made to remove Brooklynn’s right eye. She received a prosthetic eye four months after her surgery.
The sedated eye exams continued, and Brooklynn’s left eye kept responding to the chemo treatments. In the year after her diagnosis, she became a big sister 2 months after diagnosis, she underwent 13 rounds of chemo, had almost 200 needle “pokes,” 70 visits to the clinic, 35 scans/eye exams, 26 procedures under anesthesia, and 7 visits to the emergency room.
Brooklynn has certainly had her challenges over the past two years (the removal of her right eye, the loss of her hair, and the plethora of doctor’s appointments, just to name a few). Her cancer is not formally in remission, but her last chemo treatment was in the spring of 2018, her hair has returned, the tumors in her eye remain stable, and her eye exams are less frequent. She continues to be closely monitored, however, because she is at a risk to develop other types of cancer.
She has also been blessed to have the support of so many friends, family members, and community organizations. In March, the Love Your Melon superhero campus crew provided Brooklynn and her friends with an exciting day at Nickelodeon Universe. And in May, Brooklynn received a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Florida Keys through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where she swam with dolphins, rode in a limo, was kissed by a sea lion, and swam in the ocean to her heart’s content.
Despite all she’s been through, Brooklynn hasn’t lost her spunky personality. She is excited to begin her newest adventure this fall: pre-K! Brooklynn and her parents support the following organizations: Love Your Melon, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, Fiona's Hope, University of Minnesota Health
Follow Brooklyn's story on CaringBridge via this link... Brooklyn's Story
*Click on the photo to see more from Brooklyn's session.
Having a studio in a small town has a lot of perks.
People generally know who you are. This means I have the opportunity to photograph a lot of city events and meet a lot of customers right in the city. This family would be one of them!
The Family newborn session is very popular at CBM!
This session allows families to add in a few extra individual shots of their other kiddos. It includes newborn, sibling, family and individual photos of the siblings.
Sylvia
Spring of 2018, Sylvia's kindergarten year, she began to complain of headaches that increased in frequency and level of pain. Eventually she began to vomit almost daily. Her pediatrician ordered an MRI and in that scan a brain tumor was revealed. Sylvia was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma- the most common childhood brain tumor. Sylvia went through 3 brain surgeries in the next week, the longest being over 8 hours in which her tumor was successfully removed. She went through 30 rounds of proton radiation and 4 months of chemo. She finished treatment in November of 2018. She is currently cancer free and has MRI's and lumbar punctures every 3 months to make sure her cancer has not returned.
In addition to the side effects of radiation and chemo (hair loss, nausea, etc), Sylvia struggled with posterior fossa syndrome which is common after brain surgery. She had to learn to walk and talk again along with regaining coordination with her motor skills. For 10 months Sylvia did 4-6 hours of rehab each week.
Despite all she has gone through, Sylvia continues to be the kind, tenderhearted child she has always been. She loves animals, Legos, and swimming. This spring we were able to go on her Make a Wish Trip to San Diego for an animal adventures.
We support Alex's Lemonade Stand, Make a Wish, are members of Hope Kids, and in September we're going to host our 2nd annual Color Street Nail Bar and use our hostess rewards to get nail polish strips to donate to cancer patients at Children's in Minneapolis.
*Click on the photo of Sylvia to see more from her session.
Another member if the CBM milestone program
- The milestone program is one of my favorite parts of my job! Send us a message for more information.
