The Janower Family:  “I cannot wait to meet you and document your family!”

This is the letter that was submitted:

“I am not exactly sure how to adequately describe this deserving family.  You see, I am not one of the hundreds of friends who visit, send cards, flowers, food and support that knew this family “before” but I am intimately familiar with their “after”.
Dr. David Griggs-Janower has been a professor at SUNY Albany for many years.  He and his family are surrounded by music.  They are part of Albany Pro Musica founded by David in 1981.  They volunteer their time and energy to provide music to the Capital Region and to other areas around the world.
David is revered by countless students and fellow musicians.
Then came the news.  David was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and faced surgery followed by treatment to attempt to overcome this obstacle.  During the surgery, David suffered a stroke.  It has paralyzed his right side,  impacted his ability to eat and drink and robbed him of the ability to effectively communicate with his friends and family.
But he can still sing.   He can still comprehend.  This is never more apparent than when his family is surrounding him.   His wife Paige is with him every day talking, laughing, singing, when most others would be falling apart.  His son Michael, a senior in high school, was first in line to bring his dad a Guiness when he finally got the green light to have regular liquids after several weeks of therapy.  They recorded it to share the moment with his daughter Katie, a student at Mansfield University.  They cheered him on and laughed with him throughout the process.
It was the following day when I saw his wife rest her cheek on his head after being outside enjoying the sunshine and later walked in while he and his son were napping side by side, David in the bed and Michael curled up on the chair beside him that I thought “I wish I could take a picture of this beautiful moment”.

-Megan Francis

This family will receive a Portrait Collection valued at $2000. This includes: a portrait session, acollection wall art, courtesy of Simply Color Lab, that includes: a 16×20 canvas gallery wrap, a 16×20 metal print and a 16×20 wood print,  a selection ofprintsand a high resolution flash drive of images.