The Tutu Project™: Coping when a spouse has Cancer

Last weekend the Toronto Star published an article about a husband's plight to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer since his was diagnosed in 2003.  Armed with a keen eye for photography and a pink tutu, Bob Carey set out in the world to make his wife Linda laugh during one of the most difficult times in her life.  The Tutu Project™ began in 2003 as a joke when Linda began receiving chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.  She shared her husband's photos with other sister patients during her treatments for a laugh. 

Linda beat the cancer in 2003, only to have it recur in 2006. Her husband Bob states "during these past nine years, I’ve been in awe of her power, her beauty, and her spirit...oddly enough, her cancer has taught us that life is good, dealing with it can be hard, and sometimes the very best thing—no, the only thing—we can do to face another day is to laugh at ourselves, and share a laugh with others".  Bob's images are imaginative and moving and inspiring not only for those coping with illness but also for those who know laughter is the best medicine. The Project has garnished international attention from the popularity of the self-published "Ballerina" book that is a collection of Bob's tutu images.  You can visit the Tutu Project here and on Facebook.  When you purchase prints you are helping the Careys fund the self-publishing of Ballerina and net proceeds from the sale of the book will go to non-profits that support women with breast cancer.

This Project is just one example of how social media is fast becoming a preferred way to connect people who want to donate to different causes as well as connecting patients to others who are experiencing similar situations. There have even been stories from patients who have found donors through Facebook!

To read about the Project featured in the Star read here.

Book suggestions for spouses and families coping when a loved one has cancer: