In order to empower cancer patients and their families, Taiwan’s Hope Foundation for Cancer Care and a pharmaceutical company annually hold a photography competition. The striking images you are about to see have been captured by cancer patients, their families, and medical professionals. Our reporter Stephany Yang met some of the winning photographers to learn about their works. Thirty-six-year-old breast cancer patient Chen I-shien photographed the plants in her garden. She says gardening greatly helped her overcome daily challenges that come with being a cancer patient. Chen was diagnosed with cancer in May. Then, in September, she began growing her own plants. Chen I-shien Competition winner I moved from Hualien to Taipei at that time to live in the city for treatment. I think plants were very important to me because they were a light in my life when I was in a dark place. This process gave me a lot of hope for tomorrow. Life really needs some interesting hobbies in order for people to move forward in a dark period. When I heard about the Hope Foundation for Cancer Care, I took their Japanese and ukulele courses. I think that it’s because of cancer that the amount of spare time I have allows me to try things that I didn’t normally try when I was too busy. Another contestant, Chen Chun-chiao, captured an image of his mother in her hospital room. He also created a podcast to document his last memories with his mom. Chen Chun-chiao Cancer patient’s son The idea of this work is mainly to let everyone see the beauty of the body. To see the beauty, you must experience some setbacks or some physical diseases. When my mother was alive, she was very frustrated with this matter because she underwent such drastic changes in her body. I thought her body was still very beautiful. Through submitting this work, I want to tell everyone that not only one kind of body type is beautiful. I hope everyone can accept themselves in different states. A nurse Lai Shu-ting helped organize a wedding for a patient’s daughter and captured a picture of the ceremony in the hospital room. Lai Shu-ting Nurse This father had a daughter that was about to get married. The father was not in good condition, so I wanted to ask if there was a chance for him to participate. Our team came up with the idea of inviting the daughter and future son-in-law to go directly to the hospital. It was a very unique moment, so I instantly photographed it. In order to empower cancer patients and their families, the Hope Foundation for Cancer Care and a pharmaceutical company have held a photography competition since 2008. Images show simple moments in life, such as holding hands and eating with loved ones, or the final moments of patients with their families. The competition is divided into three categories: cancer patients, cancer patients’ families, and medical professionals. This year, a total of 253 contestants submitted works, with 25 of them winning awards. Su Lien-ying Hope Foundation for Cancer Care CEO "Moment of Hope" has been held for the ninth time, and more than 1,200 works have been submitted. We hope that through "Moment of Hope", whether it is a patient, family member, or medical team facing cancer, despite their negative emotions, there may be a chance for them to express themselves during this process, whether it’s negative emotions or positive courage. Through this means of expressing themselves, their attitude to cancer can become more positive. Through the competition, organizers hope to encourage patients, family members, and medical teams to fight the disease fearlessly and so that they never lose hope and love. The 25 award-winning photos will be exhibited at nine hospitals, and MRT stations, in June.