St. Louis Area Amatuer

[owens_mom]

I lost my son Owen in February at 37 weeks. When someone suggested we take pictures before we said goodbye, the idea repulsed me. Now, I am so grateful to the nurse who snapped a couple of shots with her digital camera.

I do not have the energy to tell my whole story just yet, but I have been reading this MB almost everyday since I came home from the hospital.

My husband and I met through scuba diving and soon we turned the love of the sport into the love of photographing it. We shoot both digital and film, and we have some nice images to show for it.

We are by no means professionals, but we are not inexperienced behind the lens. Also, I have been working with photoshop since early in its development.

My real job is as a paramedic. I have seen and done some very traumatic things, so I have had to develop the ability to work with people who are often frantic or distraught.

I would like to start volunteering in some capacity for NILMDTS. I am not sure I am ready to be a parent coordinator for our area yet, and I am not a professional photographer, but I think I could help photographers work with mothers, and perhaps help them to design their final layouts for print, cards, or otherwise.

-Stephanie Ashford

[Betsy Finn]

Hi Stephanie, I'm so sorry for your loss :(

from what I've been told about parent coordinators, the "position" can be as involved as you like it. Do you have an Photographer Area Coordinator in you area that you could talk with about helping out (in whatever amount you're comfortable)? It's possible that most of this stuff you're talking about could be in the "parent coordinator" role.


Some parents want to be involved with going to the hospitals and explaining their personal experience with NILMDTS. (Very effective when photographers and parents can team up to give the full prospective of what NILMDTS does) Others may just want to help from the comfort of their homes by sending, emailing updated information out to area photographers, recruitment, sending updated press releases to local media...etc.


by the way you're the second person I've met that found their husband while scuba diving (no not me)

[Catherine Colgan]

Stephanie~

Owen is beautiful and I'm so glad you have such wonderful photos of him. I have only three polaroids of my son, Alex, so I know how important this work is. I'm a parent coordinator and just starting to get my feet wet, so to speak. The first thing I did was contact one of my area coordinators to see what she suggested/needed from me. We're just getting started and we're very excited to see what we can get accomplished in our area. Drop me a message or an email if you want to chat.

[Carrie LaFollette]

Stefanie,

I'm so sorry for the loss of your baby boy Owen. He is a beautiful baby. It sounds like you are well equipped to volunteer with us! Welcome!

Carrie

[KEA's Mom]

Stefanie,
I'm so sorry for the loss of your beautiful boy. I'm so glad you have a few pictures of him. Our nurses suggested to us as well to take pictures with their camera. It was hard to do but I'm forever grateful to them for the pictures of our pretty girl.
Take Care,

[Cheryl Haggard]

Stephanie,
My husband and I grew up in Missouri...Me, St Louis and Lake of the Ozarks and my husband Springfield...
Welcome.

Baby Owen is beautiful.

[Tasha Nicholls]

Stephanie,

I am glad to see you here. :)

We would love as much help as you would like to give! You have a lot of skills and options: you could sign up as a photographer's assistant, a parent coordinator, a retoucher, etc. Take the time you need to think about whether you truly feel ready to help and what capacity you would like to help in. We will be here when you are ready. :)

Feel free to ask any of us if you have any questions about getting started.

Tasha

[owens_mom]

My husband and I grew up in Missouri...Me, St Louis

So I must ask... as any self respecting St. Louisan would... What high school did you go to?

[Cheryl Haggard]

I left St. Louis when I was in 6th grade. I did go to Buder Elem...Graduated from School of the Osage (85) in Lake of the Ozark MO.

Hubby graduated from Glendale in Springfield.