ZOE KURTZ (15)

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DO THIS PROJECT? I like photography and mom has cancer so it's interesting/creative to combine the two.

WHAT ONE WORD DESCRIBES YOU BEST. Thoughtful/playful.

IF YOU WERE AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? A dolphin.

IF YOU WERE MAROONED ON AN ISLAND, WHAT THREE THINGS WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? My teddy bears, good books and my iPod.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOU? I used to like bugs.

WHAT IS MOST "SPECIAL" TO YOU ABOUT YOUR PARENT? My mom's progressive outlook on the world has taught me to have a critical mind. She is committed to justice and social change. She puts a lot of effort into hanging out with her friends, family and me.

IN WHAT WAY HAS HAVING A PARENT WITH CANCER CHANGED YOUR LIFE? In some ways it is just like before: we eat meals together, watch Red Sox's games, go on vacation, walk around JP Center. However, I have to take more responsibility around the house and do errands because my mom is a single parent and she can't drive because she's taking pain meds. Our future is uncertain, which can be quite challenging. I learn to appreciate the good times that mom and I have.


SHARON KURTZ (ZOE'S MOM)

DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOUR CHILD WHILE YOUR PORTRAIT WAS BEING TAKEN AND WHAT IT MEANT TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED BY HIM/HER.
Zoe is 15 now! She is growing /has grown up in so many ways. It's been great working on Project: Tomorrow with her, a project in which she is in charge and I am following her lead. That really helps me see her as the mature, competent, strong young woman she's grown into. I t also highlights how much I enjoy our changing relationship-now between a parent and an older kid.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE SHARED WITH YOUR CHILD, SINCE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER?
We're both learning how to deal with uncertainty. It's a challenge: we're used to making plans and having a picture of the future. We're still doing that but with a lot of question marks about how the future will unfold. It's a challenge for both of us-making plans, having dreams and accepting that the future in ways we can't predict.

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