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This is my 1st video tutorial.  Hope you like it.  If you have recommendations for future tutorials and tips for photoshop, please contact me and let me know.

CLICK HERE to LEARN TO INSTALL AND USE ACTIONS

The video may take a minute to load and may pause during playing…  As I said, I am new to making videos…

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Tami Chrostoski sent in these photos using the FREE MCP Take Action on Cancer Awareness action set. You can get this from my site.

She did not share specific stories about how cancer affected her life - she just said it had and that this set meant so much to her.

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My story is not just about me. Cancer has affected our family in dramatic ways over the past few years. In the space of a few years, a rare form of blood cancer stole my aunty Helen - she sadly didn’t get a chance to meet her first grandchild. Then my mother-in-law (another Helen) was diagnosed with ovarian cancer - the silent killer.

Then at 7 months pregnant I found a lump in my throat - and I knew straight away - a woman’s intuition i’d call it. After I gave birth to my second son, I had two different surgeries and was found to have thyroid cancer. The saddest part of the whole ordeal was that my mother-in-law was dying while I was getting surgery and treatment for my cancer. It really hammered my husband.

I was the lucky one - I went through radiotherapy and have recovered brilliantly - the hardest part was missing my husband and kids while I was away.

Sadly we said goodbye to my mother-in-law, Helen, about 2 months ago and it is hard. It’s especially hard to say goodbye when the way she was taken was so unfair. Ovarian cancer is nasty nasty business - so ladies if you ever feel bloated, constipated or have pain in your abdomen - go and get yourself checked out. Ovarian cancer is so hard to detect - that’s why nearly everyone who gets it dies - and quickly. Helen left behind a husband, 5 children and 5 grandchildren - all under 2 years of age. It’s saddens me to think those little people aren’t even going to remember their Nonna.

It’s been about 3 months since I had my radiotherapy and things are going well for me on the health front. I guess I never really saw it as a threat because I knew it wasn’t going to beat me. Geez - I’m only 27 and I’ve got two little boys and a husband to love and look after - and I have a hell of a lot more photographs left in me too! ha ha. Up until now I’ve never really talked about this whole experience. I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me or to pity me. But I need to let people know about ovarian cancer. Take charge of your health - my mother-in-law didn’t - she was too busy worrying about everyone else.

…………………

Well, that is my story - I hope it’s not too long. I’m also attaching my photo - this is me and my youngest baby, Beau.

I used your b&w FREE action (thanks by the way, that is super cool), and I added lime, purple and peach and varied the opacity of each. I also used your vignette action. Thanks for that too.

Also, Jodi - thanks for all your valuable tips, hints and free actions. They are incredible. I know everyone really appreciates you taking the time to make PS go global!

Kind regards,
Damien, Jennifer, Dusty & Beau Stocks

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My husband’s grandmother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer at age 85. When I initially found out, I felt as if someone punched me in the gut. It seems our initial reaction is to equate cancer with suffering and death. That has been my experience with my own grandparents in the past.

Fortunately, she did not have an aggressive form of cancer and it was fairly isolated to one area. She had a mastectomy a few weeks ago and no chemo or radiation was required. She bounced back very quickly and she seems better than ever. She was back playing with her grandsons the day she was released from the hospital.

We are thankful that everything turned out well. And we thank God for the gift that is Grandma Julia.

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Here is a very touching story from a woman named Becky:

When I hear the word cancer so many emotions come flooding into my head. I think of my Grandmother whom I never had the chance to meet. I think of all of my relatives who, due to a rare gene that runs in our family, have had their colons removed to save their lives. And most often I think of my mother. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in early 2002, ironically just after we celebrated her 5 year breast cancer free mark. If only we knew C was hiding elsewhere. They removed her colon, but unfortunately it had metastasized to her liver and the tumors were inoperable. She went through round after round of chemo, and all the while I was so certain she’d beat it because she had beaten it before. Months went by and she was getting noticeably sicker and sicker, but we all still held on to hope. Then one day in October my sister-in-law and my cousin took me out to eat to break the news to me, my mother was dying and my dad was in denial. I got engaged that summer and we were planning on getting married after I finished school in a few years, but my relatives wanted me to know the truth so we could move up the wedding if we wanted to. We got married three months later, and a little more than a month after that mom was gone. My world crashed that day and it would take me years to pick up the pieces again. This past year my husband and I welcomed a beautiful baby girl into this world and I can’t help but think of my mother when I look at Alice, I know mom would have spoiled her rotten. Then I think about when Alice is grown and has children of her own and how much I want to meet my own grandchildren. I’m bound and determined to break this cycle by being proactive and my own best advocate. I’ve already had 3 colonoscopies and 1 endoscopy and eventually, when I’m ready, I’ll get myself tested for the gene that runs in our family and if need be get my colon removed. I’ll gladly chug body cleansing solutions, spend a whole night in a bathroom, get cameras shoved in places no one would want, and go under the knife if it means I’ll get to see my grandchildren.

This picture is of my grandmother (who died of colon cancer before my parents even met) and my mom when she was around 11 years old. It’s one of the only pictures my mom had of her and I cherish it greatly. I used the blue colon cancer overlay over the whole pic and a touch of the pink breast cancer overlay on my mother as well for she fought both.

Thanks for the wonderful action, and good luck to your father in law!

Becky Bathje

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This week’s story was sent in by Crystal. Here is her story and a photo of her mom, run through the action. To get this action set for free, visit my website.

“My Story is about my Mom, she past away 2 years ago at the age of 44 from Brain and Lung Cancer. The doctors didn’t think that she would make it thru the first year after her diagnoses, but she fought it for 2 and 1/2 years, I also have a little brother still at home who just turned 7 so he was 5 at the time, and I was 25, she was my very best friend, and I still catch myself wanting to call her and talk to her but I know that I will never be able to again until we meet in Heaven again one day. She was such an inspiration during her illness, she always was uplifting everyone else, and I admire her so much for that! I miss her so much and Im sure I always will. She went thru so much just to be able to have more time with us, her family, that was her, always putting others before her own self. Thanks for allowing me to download these actions, I found a photo of her that I cropped, it was after she finished her chemo and her hair was coming back in slowly, but one of the actions I used just made it even more precious!!!!! Thanks so much again!!!

Crystal”

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“This is my 12 yr. old son, Kody…also known as Kody Bear.

Kody has been fighting brainstem cancer for 5 years.

In January of 2002 we were told our beautiful 6 yr. old little boy would only be with us for 9 to 12 months. He was diagnosed with the most deadliest form of pediatric brain cancer known.

These past five years have had it’s ups and downs. Kody’s been through three major brain surgeries and one eye surgery.

There have been many times when we thought we would lose him.

But, Kody is a fighter, he is my “Hero”, he is my everything.

On August 8th 2007, after receiving probably his 100th MRI {or it seems}, we were told that Kody is now cancer free..there were no cancer cells found in his brain at all!!

Through cancer awareness, research and a team of dedicated, wonderful Dr’s at Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, Kody, and we will look forward to a very long, healthy and beautiful life.

Thank you Mrs. Jodi for bringing awareness to thousands of people through your generosity and heart of gold.

May your sweet Father-in-Law Bernie feel the miracle of complete healing through many prayers from all over the world.”

Kim Kruppenbacher

Leesburg, Florida

www.caringbridge.org/fl/kodysstory

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Here is my 1st blog freebie - but a very meaningful one to me.

My Father In Law has Lymphoma and I wanted to do something to either raise money or awareness about cancer. I decided to do the latter. And wanted to tie it in with my talents, photoshop. So I have an incredible, fun free action set for everyone with cancer awareness as a theme.

It will convert your photo to black and white and then give you 14 different overlays (plus optional defog layer and contrast layer) to choose from. It is simple and fully adjustable. You can combine layer colors for more looks, and adjust the opacity.

To download it, click on the photo below to go this action on my site. Then the download link is there. Thank you and enjoy.

Also, read at the bottom of the page on my site about submiting a photo to me using this action. If your photo has a story behind it, related to cancer/being affected by cancer, you may get published on my blog.