My day with Tacey

By: Whitney Martin

Posted: 4/2/07

After spending a day with Tacey in February, I left refreshed, inspired and, as cliche as it might sound, appreciative of the short life we are given. At such a young age, Tacey has already endured so much she should not have to losing both eyes and undergoing chemotherapy. I am fortunate to have spent just one day with such a brave young girl and to share her experience through my camera lens.

I am surprised by the degree of normalcy in Tacey's daily life. She wakes up, brushes her teeth, eats her breakfast and gets dressed with little aid from her parents. She plays with her neighbors, loves Harry Potter and knows exactly where her first grade classroom and the bathrooms are located. (She corrected me when I accidentally washed my hands at the boys' sink instead of the girls', which are located in the hallway separate from the bathroom.)

Even though Tacey cannot see, she does not use her handicap as a crutch. She relies on her other senses, such as her hearing. She can hear nearly inaudible sounds, like the hum of my camera flash that neither her mom nor I could hear. When Tacey rides her bicycle (which she proudly bought with her allowance money), her mother lets go of the handle bars, she steps aside and guides Tacey with her voice. If her mother's voice shifts to the right, Tacey steers her bike to the right as well.

I learned a lot from this young girl. I am reminded that our limitations are of our own making and that nothing is impossible. Tacey shows me that when times are tough we should not wallow in self-pity, but make the best of those hard times and conquer them. At the end of the day, I did not leave Tacey's house feeling saddened by her situation, but instead grateful to spend just a little bit of time with someone who, although has lost a great deal to cancer, still possesses so much love and spirit to give to those around her.