"Being a cancer survivor is about more than just living beyond cancer, itís an attitude. Itís a decision to turn adversity into fuel to feed your dreams and passions."

It's not another reality TV show, the are The REAL Survivors. Young, athletic, and cancer survivors. Inspiration can be so powerful, it can even change lives. Yet inspiration can come from simply sharing your life story with someone else. The first time I heard about Lance Armstrong was from my doctors during radiation therapy. After reading his book I wanted to have my own comeback victory story.

We all need some encouragement and motivation sometimes. I chose to photograph young athletic survivors because I wanted to remind people that healthy people can get cancer too. I also wanted to use these same people to show the antithesis of cancer. I wanted to show strength and give hope especially to those who are sick. I hope that the portraits and the stories shared here will encourage and inspire you as well.

I hope that the next time you visit your doctor you will see a Survivor Portrait on the wall with an uplifting story of someone who has been there before you and conquered their disease.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." -Proverbs 27:17

Are you a physician who would like to have a Survivor Portrait of one of your inspirational patients to feature in your patient waiting area? Are you an athlete and cancer survivor? Please use the contact page to get in touch with Chris Watkins for more information.

About the artist

Christopher Watkins
Portrait artist, hiker, cyclist, bodybuilder, and cancer survivor. Chris is a trilingual world traveler who resides in Auburn, Washington. To see more of his portrait work please visit his official website www.chriswatkins.com