WorkPhotography

My wife's fight with breast cancer - a photographic journey

The Battle We Didn't Choose is a powerful and incredibly sad collection of pictures by photographer Angelo Merendino, documenting his wife Jennifer's battle with breast cancer.

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Via Creative Boom submission. All images courtesy of the artist.

Via Creative Boom submission. All images courtesy of the artist.

Theirs is a story that begins with Angelo plucking up the courage to reveal his feelings to Jennifer before following her to New York from Cleveland. The pair enjoyed a blissful period of dating, getting engaged and then finally tying the knot - but just five months after their wedding, Jennifer was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although it was a huge shock, the newlyweds embraced the challenge and grew closer.

Throughout the hardships, Angelo decided to document as much as he could - hiding nothing and sharing everything that is truly horrible about this disease. The result is a raw and heartbreaking account of what someone has to go through when battling cancer. Sadly, it was a battle Jennifer didn't win.

Now, to honour his late wife Jennifer, who passed away at the age of 40, Angelo has composed these images into a digital book available to purchase through his website. He has even started The Love You Share, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to provide financial assistance to women in need while they are receiving treatment for breast cancer. Fifty per cent of the profits from sales of his book will be donated to the cause. As Angelo said on his website: "I cannot think of a better way to honour Jennifer's legacy than by helping others."

Black and white photograph of a man and woman holding cups to their faces, smiling at the camera
Woman sitting in a medical examination chair in a clinical room, with medical equipment mounted on the walls behind her
Woman lying in a hospital bed holding a stethoscope to her chest during cancer treatment
A woman in profile wearing a hospital gown sits beside medical monitoring equipment in a hospital room during cancer treatment
Black and white photograph of a swimmer in the sea with their head above water, other swimmers visible in the distance under an overcast sky
Black and white photograph of a man sitting on a hospital bed with his head in his hands, a disposable cup beside him on the bedside table
Black and white photograph of a person lying in bed surrounded by blankets and pillows, with bookshelves and a hat visible on the wall behind
A black and white photograph of a bedroom showing an unmade bed with pillows and scattered items, a sofa visible on the right, and personal belongings throughout the intimate domestic space
View from a car windscreen onto a multi-lane highway with a vehicle ahead and bare winter trees lining the road in the distance
A gravestone for Jennifer showing dates 12-6-1971 to 12-22-2011 with the inscription "I loved it all", surrounded by flowers in a black and white photograph
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