Client

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Yukon Blonde and Hey Rosetta! at The Crocodile
On assignment w Apryl Stark for The Drainage

We Day

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I was recently hired as Craig Kielburger's photographer for the Seattle stop of We Day. Craig and his brother, Marc, founded Free the Children, a charity dedicated to empowering youth by educating, engaging and empowering young people worldwide ... when they were only 12 years old. We Day is a celebration of youth volunteerism.

We Day Seattle was held at Key Arena and featured guest speakers Gov. Jay Inslee, Martin Luther King III, Edward Norton, Pete Carroll and many other notables. The arena was packed full of amped-up young volunteers and was essentially an 8-hour hypefest for positive change that I was glad to be a part of.

Thanks to my friend Linas for the hookup!

Boys with Bigger Hearts

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Boys With Bigger Hearts is a project that has earned a special spot in my heart. I became involved in the project on a whim, filling in for a friend of a friend who wasn't able to make it out to Vancouver, BC.

Nearly 2 years ago I met the Purcell family. Their (now 10 year old) son Trey is afflicted with MPS II (also known as Hunter Syndrome), which in brief, is a progressive, rare disease that wreaks havoc on the developing mind and body.

Trey being mic'd up for the day.

Trey being mic'd up for the day.

This past week, I had the opportunity to visit the Purcells in Vancouver once again to document Trey's progress. Our small crew was given permission to capture the intrathecal administration of a trial drug called Elaprase, which has proven to be a critical ally in Trey's battle against MPS II. Elaprase is currently a trial drug produced by the pharmaceutical company Shire. Unfortunately, due to its trial status, other children suffering with Hunter syndrome have been denied...essentially guaranteeing that they won't live past 20.

It should also be noted that Elaprase is insanely expensive. We're talking $375,000/year according to Forbes' article on The World's Most Expensive Drugs. But no price is too high for desperate parents who are willing to sacrifice everything for their children. It's been a humbling and moving experience for me and many others.

Below is a short created by Joey Howell, the producer, to raise funding for the feature-length documentary.