Category Archives: events

Pray for the Cure 2017

Pray for the Cure 2016

Cancer is so limited…
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot reduce eternal life.
It cannot quench the Spirit.

– Dr. Robert L. Lynn

I had the privilege of documenting this year’s community Pray for the Cure service this past September 8. I had photographed the event last year & was very much honored to do so again for the second year in a row. (To view last year’s service, click HERE.)

Pray for the Cure is a service open to the community. A time of prayer, music, reflection & encouragement occur for breast cancer survivors & fighters, their families & friends, & anyone else who would want to attend. The very first P4TC was first held in 2004 in Peoria, IL & the very first P4TC in Bloomington-Normal happened seven years later in 2011. “Pray for the Cure is sanctioned by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It is meant to precede the Race as a spiritual and emotional care program,” P4TC’s facebook page states.

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Since it was my second time capturing the event, when I walked into this year’s service, I recognized many faces from the previous year. As I prepared my camera settings for the evening & began to observe my surroundings I watched as people greeted each other & seats were found to sit in for the evening. From the solemness in the room, I knew in my heart that there were several faces who would not be joining us this year that had been there last year because their fight with cancer had ended.

The Pray for the Cure team always does a fantastic job in remembering those who have & are battling cancer. As people walked in before the night even, beautiful flute & harp music played by Sue Miller & Rex Moore filled the small auditorium. Barb Haab & Cheryl Peterson-Karlan, this years Co-Chairs of P4TC opened the evening.

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Other special music was performed by LoriLee Dunahee & Amazon Women.

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This year’s speaker was the inspiring & spirited Melissa J. Shrader, a two year breast cancer survivor. Melissa’s encouragement & testimony of victory was incredible! Her voice carried strength & her heart shared her story. All eyes were on her as she told her own journey & filled the audience with energy to fight & pray. Laughs were heard & tears were shed as Melissa spoke.

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After Melissa spoke, it was soon time for the lighting of the candles.

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A table with small, white unlit candles is set at the front of the auditorium. At this particular time of the evening, members of the audience are invited to come light a candle in remembrance of someone who has passed away from cancer. The front fills with individuals waiting to light a candle for their loved one. Individuals who have fought alongside their friend or family member, never expecting to ever have to light a candle of remembrance yet there they wait in line.

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The room fills with a hushed respect. Tears are shed & whispers are heard through-out the room. Whispers of prayers & exchanged words with one another as candle after candle is lit.

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After the Survivor Recognition & Litany of Prayer for Survivors, a closing blessing is given by Rev. Cheree Johnson. As heads bow across the auditorium to close the evening in prayer, the peace that is felt in the room is unmistakable as hearts have been united & encouraged.

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One of my favorite parts of the evening are the many, many hugs exchanged throughout the evening. Arms holding each other. Long embraces. Hugs that are full of joy & others with heaviness. The days ahead are unknown but the Power we told hold of is not forgotten.

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The wonderful team who put together this year’s service! pftc-36 pftc-34

“I’ll pray for you, you pray for me. And together a miracle we’ll see.”

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Pray for the Cure

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It was a night like I’d never experienced before. A night of remembrance. A night of solemn hearts. A night of tears. And yet it was a night of joy that comes from the peace that passes all understanding.

I had the honor of photographing Pray for the Cure. Pray for the Cure is a special prayer and music service dedicated to breast cancer survivors, their families, friends, and healthcare providers. As their facebook page states: “Pray for the Cure is sanctioned by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. While it is not a Race for the Cure event, it is meant to precede the Race as a spiritual and emotional care program. Pray for the Cure was first held in Peoria in 2004. The event began in Bloomington-Normal in 2011.” When I arrived at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bloomington I could feel the celebration & quietness that filled the church as people from all seasons of life gathered together.

It was a night that focused on HEALING, HOPE, LOVE and COURAGE.

The evening was covered by several different forms of media. THIS interview by WEEK HOI-19ABC was one of my favorites.

Handmade prayer squares were made & donated for those attending the event by St. John’s Shawl Ministry.

Jill Savage, breast cancer survivor & founder of Hearts at Home, was the featured guest speaker. As a survivor herself, she was able to share first-hand of how “”It Is Not Well With My Circumstances, But It Is Well With My Soul”. An inspiring message for each individual in the auditorium.

I loved how Jill was able to laugh & share her heart so openly. She was in a room of individuals who had been down the same journey. It was a room that understood & clung to every word she said.

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Candles were later lit by those attending to remember someone they knew who had battled cancer.

Music played softly & tears fell as candles were lit.

The Bloomington Area Concert Choir for Homeschoolers led by Mr. Lusk performed a beautiful encouraging song.

One of my personal favorite parts of the night, was when they had individuals stand who had survived cancer. The room was almost electrifying as woman after woman stood to show how many years it had been since their diagnosis. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room.

Women of Vision shared a song of community entitled “I Need You to Survive”. The lyrics spoke of community & encouragement & how we need each other through trials. All over the room I saw people holding the hands of who they sat next to as they drank in the words.

The evening ended with a word of encouragement & prayer by Rev. Cheree’ Johnson. My father worked alongside Rev. Cheree’ as a chaplain when he was doing his residency program at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center. It was then that I met Rev. Cheree’. Oh how I love her passion & heart SO very much. Rev. Cheree’ serves on the committee that organizes Pray for the Cure. She was how I was connected to the event & I am so grateful.

Another favorite part of the evening was seeing women hug each others necks & engage in conversation after Pray for the Cure was over.

Just like the song the Women of Vision sang said we need each other to survive.

What a night to remember.

For more information about Pray for the Cure, visit their facebook page HERE for more details, history, interviews & a complete list of speakers & groups who contributed to the event.