AUSTIN, TX - (October 23, 2009) - The LIVESTRONG® Survivorship Center kicks off LIVESTRONG Challenge weekend with a 2nd Street District Survivorship Tour featuring the portraits of 24 childhood cancer survivors. The stories about these children will be showcased at area businesses in downtown Austin's 2nd Street District.
Unique to Central Texas, the survivorship center provides long-term follow-up care and support for those who are cancer survivors.
"Childhood cancer survivors go through treatments that involve radiation, chemotherapy and surgeries that lead to what's called 'late effects' - or health problems - that can develop months or years after treatment," said Dr. Virginia Harrod, pediatric oncologist with Children's Blood and Cancer Center of Central Texas, part of the Dell Children's Medical Center continuum of care for cancer patients. "The survivorship center provides a full continuum of care to address late effects and medical and psychosocial issues. It also provides education and support programs to address the long-term physical and emotional needs of childhood cancer survivors and help them live a fuller life."
Accomplished photographer Eric Von Lehmden, a two-time cancer survivor himself, took the photos that will display at businesses in the 2nd Street District beginning Oct. 23. As a result of his personal experience battling the disease, the Austin photographer is dedicated to documenting the lives of children who are survivors themselves.
"We are so grateful to Eric and to our patients and families for being part of this survivorship tour," said Christopher Hamilton, director of the LIVESTRONG Survivorship Center at Dell Children's. "We wanted to provide something inspiring for other patients and their families - those who may be just starting treatment or those who have been off treatment for a while. The portraits are also a way of letting people know that the center is here as a resource for childhood cancer survivors and that the needs of survivors don't just go away after treatment is completed."
The 11×17 photos will be on view in the businesses until the end of October.
To learn more about the 2nd Street District Survivorship Tour and for a list of businesses hosting the portraits, you can visit any of the following Web sites: www.dellchildrens.net/survivorship, www.facebook.com/survivorship or www.twitter.com/survivorship.
Photo by Eric Von Lehmden, studio563