Imani Photography: Clara and her family

Blogging and I have a Love-Hate relationship.

I love the thought of blogging, but I hate that I don't have enough time to do it!

But a recent photo shoot has led me to this place, right now, typing these keys.

The reason? I believe everyone should know little Clara's story!

This is the miraculous story of Baby Clara and her hero, John. This is a God story. It is a true story that is filled with hardships, faith, and heavenly grace.

This winter I received an unexpected email inquiry from a friend, Brooke, whom I have known for over a decade, but not seen in many years.

I met Brooke many years ago when we were just pre-teens at what is now The Theatre Company but back then was called ‘Magination Station. The play was Annie and I was working backstage while my sister was one of the little orphans and Brooke, talented and gifted as she is, played the part of Annie. I still remember her mother separating her hair into small sections; wrapping and curling them around pieces of clothe every night before a show so she would wake up with ringlets of curly red hair!

This is actually where my love for the arts began. I loved theater, although being on stage was fun in the little roles I had, I always had a bit of stage fright, so backstage is really where I thrived! Lights, Sounds, Stage Management, Costumes and Makeup…this was my niche!

Brooke and I soon became close friends, but our time together was cut short when her father got a job and had to relocate to Midland, Texas. All I remember was that I was heartbroken that my best friend had to move so far away. We stayed connected for a while but, as time and space will do, we lost touch.

A few years ago, thanks to Facebook, we found each other again. She had married Alan and on April 14th, 2010 they had their first baby together and named her Clara. I shamelessly stalked her on Facebook looking for updates and pictures of her and their adorable family;) They were so joyful and from the looks of it, life was good.

Then everything came crashing down, a mother’s worst nightmare.

Brooke posted one day that Clara wasn’t feeling well and hadn’t been in several days so they took a visit to the doctor. At first, the doctor didn’t know what was wrong. They tested for numerous things including meningitis, which included a painful spinal tap.

On August 28th, 2010, the diagnosis arrived. Luekemia.

My heart, my soul, my spirit, was crushed with the deepest pain for my friend and her sweet baby girl. I then prayed the first of a countless number of prayers as did so many, for this family. It was painful to even imagine what they might be feeling. 

Clara went through a multitude of medical procedures. The initial treatment almost killed her. She developed an infection that delayed the bone marrow transplant and she needed surgery to cut it out. Her craniotomy took place on November 12, 2010 and almost lost her life for the second time. But, the surgery went well and she was smiling the very next day. 

Brooke and Alan were able to take her home for two whole days and it just so happened to be Thanksgiving weekend. What an incredible gift from God! After they returned to the hospital, due to more complications, Clara needed to have lung surgery.

But thru this all she began to develop gross and fine motor skills and everything started looking up!

But, she still had high-risk AML--Acute myeloid leukemia which is a cancer that starts in the cells that are supposed to mature into different types of blood cells. AML starts in the bone marrow and acute means that the leukemia can grow quickly, and if not treated, could be fatal in a few months. She needed a bone marrow transplant and a perfect matching anonymous donor was their best hope for saving her life.

Four months in the hospital. 20 months of recovery. 60 clinic visits. Countess infusions, scans, and surgeries. 10,000 or more oral doses of medicine. NG tube feedings and vomiting three or more times a day for months. She couldn’t touch dirt, flowers or grass. Obsessive hand washing, sterilizing EVERYTHING in reach, screening or forbidding visitors, and no baths in the bathtub.

They fought to keep her healthy. They fought to save her life. .... $5 MILLION in hospital bills…

And then, a perfect match.

They had found him and Clara’s “butterfly rebirth”, as Brooke fondly dubbed it, was on January 12, 2011.

The very next day, they found out she had a normally functioning immune system and on October 13, 2012, they met Clara’s donor hero, John.

I encourage you to watch this video that Brooke put together to chronicle Clara’s journey. http://youtu.be/lUHToXvxJDk

They are so thankful for their sweet little miracle. But their story doesn’t end there. On November 29, 2011 they welcomed their beautiful second baby girl into the world, Rosalyn. Brooke has now had to learn how to raise a healthy baby girl!! No hospital beds, tube feeding, medications or being germ free! Just being a mommy, to TWO beautiful healthy baby girls!! I am so proud of Brooke and the woman and mother she is.

When she emailed me to ask if I would be available, I was ecstatic!! And the icing on the cake was that it was for the whole family! I always remembered the Shannon family fondly, and I was honored to be able to capture memories for them.

Thank you Brooke, and the whole Shannon family for the honor of being your photographer!!