A Visual Record of My Journey
Before coming to Malta I worked in the world of luxury brands. I was a senior corporate executive for over twenty years having toiled my way up through the ranks to senior executive, with eventually over 500 people reporting to me.
The success I achieved in my career was, I believe, partly due to my ability to find effective solutions to difficult business challenges. To this end, I had a constant voice in my head that kept saying, “Good is not good enough!”
So, confronted by the most difficult challenge of my life, I asked myself how could I face up to this trial and find some kind of positive outcome from my encounter with cancer. Also, after a lifetime of branding and marketing, how could I ‘brand’ ovarian cancer and create awareness? A blog, of course is one method, but it’s not the only one…
Recently, I had a discussion with my friend, Andrew, about a new project. Andrew is innovative, has tremendous creative energy and is a well-known curator of artistic projects. He was extremely enthusiastic and suggested that we work with a highly respected photographer named Marija, whom he knows well.
Marija has now agreed to create a visual record of my journey with ovarian cancer. I should add that this project will be in addition to my blog, which I have been writing for the past two months. The purpose of this second venture is to continue to raise awareness about ovarian cancer, which is not easy to diagnose and is often only detected at a late stage of the disease.
I thought that a visual record would be valuable and possibly provide some kind of comfort to fellow sufferers as well as family and friends. I also wanted the photographs to be a body of work that Marija would be proud of, and that would form part of her portfolio, eventually leading to an exhibition at some point. In other words, the undertaking would be a kind of retrospective that could be used to highlight not just ovarian cancer – its treatment and effects - but other cancers also, describing both the physical and psychological impact on those involved.
This will be an emotional challenge for us all - for me, for Andrew and for Marija - however, I want Andrew and Marija to have complete artistic licence as neutral observers. My job is merely to be the subject of their work. In other words, this must be their project, not mine. It will not be a ‘pity party’ involving a woman with ovarian cancer, but a valuable and meaningful endeavour.
Today’s photograph was taken for a leading business magazine.
