Karen Urquhart
Hair and Makeup: Robyn Langevin (RobynLynnMua)
Let me introduce to you Karen. Karen is the first of our Fab@40+ Club member to be photographed in the 2021 project. This beautiful lady has been on a long, hard journey battling a major health issue. She wanted to join our project and be photographed to give her husband and children a very special gift.
Karen has IDF and has had to have a double lung transplant. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a type of lung disease that results in scarring (fibrosis) of the lungs for an unknown reason. Over time, the scarring gets worst and it becomes hard to take in a deep breath and the lungs cannot take in enough oxygen. There is no cure for IPF. Karen received a double lung transplant in July 2018, but even with new lungs her life expectancy would only be about 5 years.
To say this is more of a story than I expected to be telling when I started this project is an understatement. I feel especially blessed to have had this chance to photograph Karen, to be chosen to document and preserve her in portraits. When Karen contacted me to be a part of this project it really hit me hard as she explained to me that her body has started to reject her transplant and she had been given about a year left to live.
But we will save our tears for another day! This project is to celebrate and appreciate Karen as she is now in life and joy. To meet her you would hardly know she was ill. She was unsure, and a little nervous about being photographed but she put herself fully in front of my camera, trusting me and I hope I did justice for this brave and beautiful lady. These images will be a most treasured and beautiful gift for her family.
It was a pleasure you meet you, Karen, and to photograph you. I will carry your story in my mind forever, I am so happy you are the first lady of my 2021 Fab@40+ Project.
If you would like to know more about Karen’s journey you can follow along on her FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Karensbreath
coming from her daughter you are the most wonderfull thing on earth i love you so much
I think about Karen so often Eleena, hugs.
You look so beautiful Karen and I’m so very proud of not only your courage and strength but your love for life and your family. You are a true inspiration to everyone near and far.
Beautiful pictures – I love them
My, such Beauty and Courage. I honour and respect both subject and photographer for being willing and sharing such depths of your soul, Karen.