Karen Hart, Huffington Post
October 15, 2015
This past weekend the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation, which provides financial, emotional, and practical support to families tackling childhood cancer, sponsored ten moms from the New York/New Jersey area to participate in a Momcology retreat. Momcology brings caregivers together to share and bond over their unenviable experiences with childhood cancer, while providing the parent with a seeming day off from the disease.
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the flood of emotions that hit a parent, coupled with day to day life, can be overwhelming. Jodi Crandell, a wonderful photographer, donated her time to capture these beautiful photos of moms who are in the trenches.
Jodi has photographed many Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation moments, but she shared that she was so touched and moved to tears by the moms she met at this Momcology retreat, as they shared their stories and had a moment to exhale.
“I walked into the room and it was like walking into a sorority house because they had bonded so quickly over their experiences,” said Crandell. “One mom said she usually feels like the odd man out at parent gatherings, but here, where they all were going through the same thing with their child, that was not the case. They were all there to support each other, and they all talked about how special the retreat was to have the opportunity.”
The weekend was filled with yoga, massages, nutritious meals, reflection and relaxation, with a focus on the needs of the caregiver.
Crandell added, “Even though I do not have a child who is sick, I feel like I will be friends with these women forever. We’ve all become Facebook friends, and it is truly an experience I will not ever forget.”
To learn more about New York Giants Coach Tom Coughlin’s Jay Fund Foundation, please visit https://tcjayfund.org/, and to see more of Jodi’s photos, visit http://www.jodicrandellphotography.com/.