Friday, May 27, 2011

Giving Back

Since Finlay came along we have been really lucky to have had help from lots of different individuals and charities. There's a list at the bottom of the blog - click away, they're all lovely people!

Since Finlay's first ultrasound diagnosis one charity, @Heart, has been with us all the way. They've been a huge support, emotionally and financially. They helped get me to Auckland (an hour's flight away on a different island) for the birth and later for his open heart surgery. They've been there to support us both at home and in hospital. From day one we always wanted to try to give something back. We just never imagined the chance would come so soon and in such a way....

One of our friends is a photographer, a really good one, take a look. When Finlay was 5 months old and we were about to fly him up to Auckland for his heart surgery we asked him to take some photos. Partly because we knew that would be the last chance to get photos without a scar, and partly because.....well, it might just be the last chance.

And the results were stunning:



A few months later, @Heart sent round an email about a photo competition being run by Canon (the people that make the cameras and printers). The winning picture would win $25,000 for their charity. So Vicky got on the phone to our friend and asked him to enter one of the photos. Being the great bloke that he is, he didn't hesitate in saying yes. He knew without asking which photo he should enter. Of all the fantastic pics there was one standout.


Over the next couple of months we tried to get as many friends, relatives and anyone else to vote for his picture on the Canon website. It didn't get the most votes but it got enough for the judges to take notice. Out of over 800, beautiful, stunning, inventive photos from around the country, all with heart-rending stories behind them, his was one of the final 5 to go before the judging panel, which included one of the country's top photographers and even the Prime Minister's wife.


An exciting, nervous few days were finally broken when our friend got the phonecall from Canon that he had won and our charity was getting $25,000. So many more families would be helped in the way we were thanks to our friend and Finlay. But for us the picture is worth a million dollars:

3 comments:

  1. What an amazing talent and subject.

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  2. Wow....what a blessing to have stumbled upon your blog. I followed a comment...from Beta Buddies, I think.

    These pictures are gorgeous, and your story is amazing.

    Thank you for putting it out there.

    God bless your beautiful family!

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  3. i love those photos. just beautiful !

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