Impact

Impact

While we love working with a camera, ImageBolt is about more than just providing clients with outstanding and memorable photographs. It’s about impacting the world for kids with cancer.

We use our God-given talents in photography as a means for generating financial support to help improve the lives of kids and families affected by childhood cancer while simultaneously opening eyes, ears, hearts and minds to the love of our Creator.

A portion of every ImageBolt project is donated to The Family Lighthouse and CURE Childhood Cancer—2 outstanding, non-profit organizations that have had a tremendous impact on the lives of many kids battling cancer, including my son Zachary who triumphed over leukemia after 3 1/2 years of chemotherapy. These kids are true warriors, but they need our support.

"No more chemo!" became a chant in our house as Zack closed in on his final day of the nasty medicines he'd been taking for over 3 years, and it now is a rally cry so that some day soon all kids will be free of cancer and free of chemo. Here are some stats of the current situation:

Approximately 12,400 are diagnosed with cancer each year.
About 2500 die of cancer each year
About one in 300 boys and one in 333 girls will develop cancer Before the age of 20*

These statistics, first of all, are more than just statistics. These are kids we’re talking about! This information means that since Zachary was diagnosed in mid-2002 that 55,800 kids and families have been struck by cancer and 11,250 kids have died here, in the United States of America!

ImageBolt is committed to making a difference as we:
• Raise awareness in the general public about childhood cancer
• Provide companies and individuals a way to positively impact the childhood cancer community, while also receiving a valuable service
• Provide financial sustenance to the childhood cancer community that will be used not only for research but also for emotional, mental and spiritual support.

The Passion:

Life is short. No great news flash in that, right? Maybe there is. If you’re reading this, then in the eyes of some people your life is already long. What we mean is that if you’re able to read this then you are at least 8 years old and most likely older. Too many children’s lives have ended without reaching the seemingly insignificant milestone of their 8th birthday because they were stricken down by the main disease that is killing children—cancer.

Life is short, and our moments here on earth ought to have their maximum potential impact.

In July 2002, my 2 year old son was diagnosed with Leukemia. About 3 days after we were struck with this news and the reality of our new life was still only beginning to sink in, a family friend came to visit us at the hospital and said: ”Kurt, you have no idea how God will use this experience as an opportunity to minister to other people.”

Those were very difficult words to hear, because quite honestly I didn’t care about helping anyone else at the expense of my son. I hated hearing those words, but before long I knew that I wanted to do anything I could to help other kids and their families who would be starting down that same path behind us.

These types of journeys are very painful and difficult, but the lessons that can be learned are truly invaluable and life changing. One father I know shared how he felt “honored” to be blessed with a child with cancer. No matter how backward that sounds, there is truth in it. Adversity can be a blessing.

The desire to give back and have a positive impact on the lives of other families dealing with the horrors of childhood cancer has only grown stronger over time.

In July 2002, it was hard to imagine how my son’s cancer would one day turn into the opportunity of a lifetime. Every morning I am honored to get out of bed and go to work, helping to shine a little bit of light and hope into the lives of kids and families who are walking through very dark days. Give us a call and let us know how we can be of service to you.

*This data is from www.curesearch.org and includes information from Cancer Incidence and Survival among Children and Adolescents: United States SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) Program 1975-1995.

Striking Photographic Images...Striking at Childhood Cancer

678.575.2936
kurt@imagebolt.com