Forward Focus

Canvas on Demand Good Works Program

2009-03-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce a new affiliation with Canvas on Demand. They are my vendor for my photography customers and will be who I use for Forward Focus sessions as well.

Canvas On Demand is committed to donating 300 $100 Gift Certificates to small non-profit organizations this year to be used for fundraising. That's 25 per month, to qualified organizations.

Thank you to CoD for helping provide beautiful memories to our families living with ALS.

Walk to Defeat ALS-- coming near you!!

2009-03-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Event:
Down East Walk to Defeat ALS
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Location:
Town Common, Greenville, NC

Event:
Greensboro Walk to Defeat ALS
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Location:
Center City Park

Event:
Wilmington Walk to Defeat ALS
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Location:
UNC-Wilmington

Event:
Winston-Salem Walk to Defeat ALS
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Location:
Tanglewood Park-Shelter #4

Event:
Charlotte Walk to Defeat ALS
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Location:
Ballantyne Corporate Park

Event:
Triangle Walk to Defeat ALS
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Location:
Credit Suisse Campus

Event:
Fayetteville Walk to Defeat ALS
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Location:
Fayetteville, NC

Walk to Defeat ALS, a personal letter, some info and a plea!

2009-03-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

This letter is written by Steve White, a friend of Forward Focus.

My Walk to Defeat ALS letter
By Steve White
Hello, my name is Stephen White, and I’d like to do my best to convey to you what my life is like with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and convince you how and why you should join me in making the difference needed to find and fund the cure I know is out there.

Unlike so many Fayetteville residents, this is my home-town, where I returned after 21 years in the US Air Force. The Air Force was the best thing that ever happened to me… I’d become a small part of something so much bigger than I, and loved the sense of giving back, doing something for my country. I’d seen much of the world, loved my work, and had no intention of slowing down, fully intending to match dad’s Army E-8 before retiring.

Everything came to a screeching halt when, in July 2002, after a week of tests at Walter Reed, I was diagnosed “75% probable” for ALS. An ALS diagnosis takes a battery of tests to rule out all other possibilities, a process of elimination. I’d been advised to surround myself with those I loved and to “get my affairs in order”. ALS slowly began it's advance, slowly overtaking my life, even though symptoms were still minimal. I was granted a medical retirement, 100% service-connected the following January.

Today, I've lost all but the very last of any independence I once had; I get my nutrition through a feeding tube, I have to use a bi-pap, a type of external ventilator to lay down or sleep, as my diaphragm is too weak for proper respiration. Because ALS has robbed me of my voice, I communicate through a computer that speaks for me, using a mouse with my semi-capable hand, through special software and on-screen keyboards, but I'll soon need a head mouse or eye-gaze system for computer interface; these systems typically cost close to $10,000. I rely on a constant stream of caregivers 24/7, who must feed/shave/bathe and dress me, you name it. Privacy is a thing of the past. Those with a fast-progressing form of ALS may never make it 12 months, or even to a definitive diagnosis.

Like the “Iron Horse”, Lou Gehrig, I also consider myself maybe the luckiest man alive, having my VA disability compensation, AF retirement pay and Social Security benefits. I also have the wheelchair-accessible van as well as other various equipment to make my remaining life with “Uncle Lou” as comfortable as possible. Others are not so lucky, as annual patient expenses can soar upwards of $200,000.

Just this past decade we have learned that military veterans are almost twice as likely to contract this horrific disease as the civilian populace. Though I continue to beat the odds, now approaching seven years post-diagnosis, I would not wish this disease, once referred to as “one of the top five cruelest diseases”, on my worst enemy. I've also learned never to say “It'll never happen to me” again.

Please read on to discover how easy it is to help make a difference, as well as some important facts on ALS.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

* Sign-up to sponsor, join or support me/my team, “Steve's Striders”, in the first Fayetteville (NC) Walk to Defeat ALS. The walk will be May 9th 2009 at Fayetteville's Festival Park. Go to www.catfishchapter.org and click on the new Fayetteville walk logo. If you don't have internet access, checks may be mailed to me at my home, as well as to the Catfish Chapter, addresses at the bottom of the page.

* Sign-up for your corporation to sponsor the walk. The corporate sponsorship brochure may be viewed at http://www.stevewhitenc.com/Walk_CorpSponsorship100708.pdf

* Consider talking to your church, scout or other group about getting involved in fundraising or even volunteering on walk day

* Visit my website, http://stevewhitenc.com for more fund-raising ideas

Facts You Should Know About ALS

* The onset of ALS is insidious with muscle weakness or stiffness as early symptoms. Progression of weakness, wasting and paralysis of the muscles of the limbs and trunk as well as those that control vital functions such as speech, swallowing and later breathing generally follows.

* ALS is not contagious.

* It is estimated that ALS is responsible for nearly two deaths per hundred thousand population annually.

* Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. The incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people, and it is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time.

* Although the life expectancy of an ALS patient averages about two to five years from the time of diagnosis, this disease is variable and many people live with quality for five years and more.More than half of all patients live more than three years after diagnosis.

* About twenty percent of people with ALS live five years or more and up to ten percent will survive more than ten years and five percent will live 20 years. There are people in whom ALS has stopped progressing and a small number of people in whom the symptoms of ALS reversed.

* ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries.

* ALS can strike anyone.

Sincere thanks,
Steve

Welcome to Facebook!

2008-09-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

I have started a Facebook group for Forward Focus. Please join us; whether you are a photographer, a PAL or a friend of FF!

Facebook group: click here to join

Meet the Photographer: Chrissy Stein-Martin

2008-08-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Chrissy joins the Forward Focus team from Mooresville, NC. She is willing to do sessions for PALS on location or in her studio.

A bit about Chrissy:

I am a wife and mother of 3 wonderful boys. I was born and raised in Miami Florida, where I was a medical surgical nurse in the local hospital. My family moved to Mooresville 3 years ago for my husbands job and for a better place to raise our children. At that time I pursued my dream of opening my own photography studio, Portrait Pizzazz.

Meet the Photographer: Desirae Young

2008-08-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

Desirae joins FF from the Lake Norman area as the third photographer to join our team.

Here's what Desirae says about herself and her business:

I am a stay-at-home mother of one Mr.Rhylan. He is the light of my life and why I have a passion for photography. I've been married to the most wonderful husband ever!

I am from Walnut Creek, California but I have lived mostly in North Carolina. Without the two of them by my side I would have nothing. My son is the reason why I photograph! I love to capture the everyday faces that he expresses. I love to help other families capture the moments they can turn into forever memories.

I have been asked by friends to photograph their families and encouraged to pursue my hobby more intently. Through the support of my friends and family, D.Young Photography was born.

You won’t find photo backdrops and poses and light stands with me, just me, my camera and maybe a tripod. I want all my clients to be thrilled with their photos. I am sure you will love your photographs!

Meet the Photographer: Ryan "Fenix" Sumner

2008-08-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Ryan ("Fenix") is the second photographer to join FF. He will be available to those PALS in and around the Charlotte area who are able to visit his 2nd floor studio in the Historic district.

What Fenix has to say about his work:

With studios located at the heart of Charlotte's Historic NoDa Arts District, Fenix Fotography specializes in artful photography for weddings, business, and fashion.

In addition to my individual and corporate clients, I'm a photographer at Uptown Magazine for artistic editorial, events and sports.

In December 2007, VH1’s The Shot sponsored an online contest for wedding photography. From 1,281 entries, one of my bridal images received both the highest number of votes (801) and the most views (1,866) world-wide.

I was a staff photographer at Elevate Magazine from February 2005 to August 2006--a publication to which I still sometimes contribute photography.

My work has also been seen in numerous other regional and national publications, advertisements, and calendars. Most recently for the Charlotte Checkmates professional cheer/dance team and for Innoseal's national magazine advertising campaign.

The Light Factory Contemporary Museum of Photography and Film included my photography on their walls in exhibitions of Charlotte–area artists taking place in 2006 and 2007.

In 2006, Maxim Magazine selected 3 models, on the basis of my photographs, as finalists in their nationwide 2006 “Hometown Hotties” contest. The photos were featured on the magazine’s website.

My work as a photo-retoucher/historic photograph restoration artist (2000-2006) appeared in Newsweek Magazine, AARP Magazine, and over thirty museum exhibitions—including one in South Africa.

Ryan "Fenix" Sumner
Creative Director
Fenix Fotography

Meet the Photographer: Amanda Prince

2008-08-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

Amanda is the first photographer to join Sheri in Forward Focus. She is a photographer in Western, NC. Brevard, to be exact.

You can see examples of her work at www.amandaprince.zenfolio.com and her blog will be up and running soon at www.aprincephoto.com

Welcome!

2008-08-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

The mission of Forward Focus is to serve families affected by ALS (Lou Gehrig's) by providing them with tangible documentation of their memories in the form of donated photography services and products. Each photographer agrees to waive all session fees and donate 20 (twenty) 5x7 prints. While there is never any obligation by the family to purchase additional prints, a discount will be offered at the discretion of each photographer.

Forward Focus is an organization founded in 2008 by Sheri Allison, a photographer in North Carolina. Sheri’s cousin, Kenny Goodall, was diagnosed with ALS in April 2006, and Sheri made it a priority to visit and photograph the family. Kenny passed away on July 10, 2008, and Kenny’s wife and children are eternally grateful for the photographs they were able to capture with Kenny.

Sheri realized that there were many other families affected by ALS who would treasure similar photographs, but who might not think of scheduling a session with a local photographer. The goal of Forward Focus is to create a network of photographers spanning the state, offering their time and talent to document memories at no charge for these families.

To become a volunteer photographer with Forward Focus, please email sheri@sheriallison.com.

If you know a family living with ALS, please give them our blog address or email address.