Catch Your World

Golf Channel interview with Payton's parents and Dick Vitale

Hi everyone -

Please take a few minutes to watch the video at this link:

Golf Channel - Dick Vitale and the Wrights

As you know, I was blessed to have met Payton and photographed her with her family twice, and also attended and photographed her beautiful memorial service.  Links to all of these can be found under the category Payton Wright on this blog, and also on Payton's page, www.paytonwright.org. 

I've also known Mr.Vitale for several years, as I have photographed his gorgeous grandkids numerous times.  Mr. Vitale is a tenacious man! - and he is committed to the cause of fighting cancer and I know he will continue to be instrumental in raising funds and awareness.  

Payton's parents, Holly and Patrick...what can I say?  I can't even imagine their pain, can't begin to guess how hard it is for them to relive it all over and over as they tell Payton's story to spread awareness.  That NEVER gets any easier, but they keep pushing on in hopes that someday other families won't have to suffer as theirs has.  Their strength is amazing and inspiring.  

Thanks for watching, and for supporting pediatric cancer research in any way you can.  Cancer at any age is terrible - cancer in a child is horrifying.  I will never forget Holly telling me how underfunded pediatric cancer research is, compared to other types.  I hope that changes, and thank the Vitales and Wrights for all they do to make it happen.

Payton's journey

I know many of you who follow this blog know about the journey through cancer fought by Payton Wright and her family.  You may have watched the slideshows of images that Itook of Payton and her family, and most heartwrenching of all, her memorial service.

Recently, Dick Vitale, who had pledged to raise 1 million dollars in cancer research funds in Payton's name, surpassed that goal and a total of 1.2 million was donated.  At the gala to celebrate the donation, Payton's mom, Holly told the story of Payton's journey.  While I had read the transcript on Payton's website, the video of Holly's speech is now on Mr. Vitale's site and I really encourage everyone to watch it and pass it on. 

 The link is here:  Holly's speech. 

It hurts to watch it, I won't lie about that.  It hurts me to watch it and I sat here and cried as I did, remembering Payton as I do daily, and seeing just a tiny, TINY piece of her family's pain there in Holly's speech.  I really encourage everyone to watch it, and pass it on to everyone they can think of.  As Holly pointed out in her speech, pediatric cancer gets very little funding, and with awareness we can change this.  Mr.Vitale's work to raise funds and awareness are an example of what people can do when the message gets out. 

Please share Payton's story, help fight cancer, and hug your kids. 

Payton's website:  www.paytonwright.org

Never, ever forget.

Today marks one year since the passing of a remarkable little girl, Payton Makenna Wright. 

Please take a few minutes to click on the Categories link on the side of the blog that says Payton Wright, and read -- or reread -- the posts that I made during the time I got to spend with Payton.  If you have time, please visit Payton's website . 

I can't even guess how many times I've thought about Payton since I met her and her family.  I can't begin to imagine the pain her family has endured during her illness, treatment, and now being without her.  I can tell you with certainty that attending and photographing her memorial service was one of the most heartwrenching things I have ever done, and I will never forget.  I can tell you that I look at her images often, have a picture of her in the studio, and all of us at Catch A Star have silver frogs from her service on our desks, and we will not forget. I learned from Payton's family that childhood cancer does not have the funding that it should, not near the funding of many other cancers, in spite of being one of the top killers of children each year, and I will not forget the child that they lost.

Please hug your children and be glad that they are here with you and healthy, because there is no greater gift.

 

PS -- the links on my blog are apparently outdated for both Payton's site and her slideshows.  Her website, as linked above, is now www.paytonwright.org.  The slideshows of images that I took of Payton are accessible from her site, by clicking on the links in the sidebar.  The slideshows will open automatically.  There is also an error in the first slideshow (August 2006) in that the images Payton took of her family, which are included in the slideshow, are not in their own separate folder as they are supposed to be -- we will fix that and republish under the same link asap.

Update 6/22/08: links should all be corrected now, and the corrected slideshow should be uploaded in the next day or two. 

A video about Payton

Please be sure to watch the following video when you have a couple of minutes:

Payton Video

Payton's dad, Patrick Wright, was interviewed along with Dick Vitale to discuss the Payton Wright Pediatric Research Grant.  I have had the pleasure of photographing Mr. Vitale's grandchildren numerous times over the past few years, and can tell you that the entire family are very caring, passionate people who are really able to make things happen -- I know this one million dollar goal will be reached, and very quickly!

I also have to share that I am truly touched that the images I captured of Payton have meant so much to their family.  This was a very loved little girl, photographed thousands of times -- at her memorial service, the number of images of Payton throughout her life that were displayed was incredible! To know that, in the brief period of time I was able to spend with Payton, I captured images that the Wrights feel show a little slice of this amazing little person is truly an honor. 

A quick snap of my kids from Payton's FunWalk in late September....they know all about Payton, and are so sad they didn't get to meet her. They were so happy to take part in this walk, and to meet Payton's sisters :).

Payton is with the angels

I'm sure many of you who follow this blog are already aware that Payton passed away on Tuesday, May 29th.  I just wanted to express once again to the Wright family how devastated we are on the loss of your beautiful baby girl.  She is truly with the angels now, and while she will be so terribly missed, I am happy that she is at peace and without the pain caused by this cruel disease.

Love and prayers to the Wright family and all who knew and loved Payton.  She has touched thousands of people around the world, and has hopefully made many more people aware of the tragedy of childhood cancers.

Payton's visitation will be Friday, June 1 at Harvest Methodist Church on Lorraine Road in Bradenton, from 5pm to 7pm.  Her service will be Saturday, June 2, also at Harvest, at 10am. 

For continued updates and to make an entry to Payton's guestbook, please visit Payton's Website.  Her family has enjoyed the guestbook entries throughout this journey.

Update:  the images from Payton's Memorial Service may be viewed at this link.

Prayers for Payton

I'm so far behind on updating this blog, and have just returned from a ten day trip with my family to recharge my batteries. 

I can't even describe how devastated I was to come home after more than a week with no computer access, go to check Payton's latest news at her website and read the awful news that Payton's cancer has spread :( :( :(.  There are absolutely no words.  Like many of you who have been following Payton's story both locally and afar, I have been wishing/hoping/praying/thinking about this sweet family so much in recent months.  It's incredibly heartbreaking to learn that the disease has progressed, and I can't begin to imagine what the family is feeling at this time.

Please see the Herald-Tribune article at this link for more information on Payton.  Please pray for this sweet little girl and her family in the difficult times to come, and please DO NOT give up faith and hope in her recovery!

Also, to view the slideshows of the sessions I have done with Payton and her family, please visit the following links:  to see the session from August 2006, use this link, and to see the session from March 2007 use this link.   If you have any trouble viewing, please send us an email and we will try to help.

Payton's New Slideshow :)

I think I forgot to post an update to the blog to let everyone know to check out this link to see Payton's new images.  We went to Jungle Gardens a few weeks ago after our trip to Selby Gardens was derailed by a huge crowd for a festival! It worked out great because we got to feed the flamingos at Jungle Gardens, and Payton as well as Savanna and Sydney seemed to really enjoy it!

Please remember to check Payton's website for updates as well....Holly and Patrick try to update on Payton's condition at least weekly, and often more frequently than that.  Payton had a setback with her MRI in February, but has been following a strict diet and supplement regimen in an effort to keep the cancer from spreading.  She has another MRI scheduled for next week, so please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.

It was a little chilly that day, and even though Payton's hair is growing back in now she wanted to keep her fuzzy pink hat on!

Payton still has those long gorgeous eyelashes...I just had to capture them again!

Sydney and Savanna :). 

Payton wasn't feeling her best that day, but still had fun and was silly :).

Please leave a note for Payton and her family in the Guestbook on her site, linked above...Payton loves hearing the Guestbook entries!

*Payton* -- please read!

Last week I mentioned that a little girl named Payton who lives in Lakewood Ranch is battling cancer.  The website to view information about Payton is www.paytonwright.org.

I got to meet Payton and her family this past Saturday, in a session at their home.  Payton is a super spunky little girl, her sisters are gorgeous and so loving toward their little sister, and her parents are doing every possible thing they can to cure their little girl.  This is a beautiful family, and my heart aches at what they are going through.  Please take a few minutes to read through Payton's story.  If you can support this family or childhood cancer research in any way, please do! 

This is Payton.  She is four years old.  She loves Scooby Doo, Curious George, painting her fingernails, and eating big bowls of pasta.  She sat on my lap and took some pictures of her family.  She showed me her room and her special toys.  I'm a better person for having met Payton and her family.  Prayers going out to all of you. 

Payton has a lot of Curious George toys :).

It's hard to imagine that she's lost some of her eyelashes due to the chemo.  These are the longest eyelashes I've ever seen! They're gorgeous!

Payton and her sisters goofing around with some of her fun hats :)

More Payton pictures to come in coming weeks! Please note on her website that you can get Payton bracelets. They are purple, Payton's favorite color, and they look like this :)

You can view the entire slideshow through the link on Payton's website, or just click HERE.

A little girl needs your help

Payton Wright is 4 years old, and lives in Lakewood Ranch.  She was recently diagnosed with a very rare form of brain cancer and is undergoing treatment at this time.  I don't have any images of Payton to share with you, yet, but I will...next weekend I get to meet her and her family in person and have some fun making portraits :)  .  I will share some images as soon as I can.....but in the meantime, you can help!

Payton has a website at www.paytonwright.org.  Visit here and you'll see pictures of Payton, a history of her treatment to date, and information on fundraisers being held on her behalf.  On Friday, August 25 there is a golf outing fundraiser taking place, and on Saturday, August 26th there's a 5K run/walk.  If you'd like to take part in any of these events, check out her site for the details!  If you can't make the events but would like to make a donation to the Payton Wright Wellness Fund, email me and I will make sure you get the information you need to do so. 

Thanks for taking some time out to learn about Payton!