Picturing Your Caregiving Journey

Amy Blackburn, RN and Cynthia Ogden, MD were friends long before Cynthia was diagnosed with breast cancer. Their story is unique in that Amy Blackburn, besides being a registered nurse, is also a professional photographer and decided the best way to deal with the emotional chaos from her best friend’s diagnosis was to photograph Cynthia’s journey. As she did, she began to understand the role of caregiver and the importance of the caregiving community. Her poignant book, Caring for Cynthia: A Caregiver’s Journey Through Breast Cancer (August 2008, Verve Editions), which blends photos and personal essays, seeks to empower caregivers and help them flourish as they lend energy toward acceptance, endurance and healing.