When the word got out that John Sylvester was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, a wonderful thing happened. “All these old friends called. People that I had grown up with but hadn’t heard from in a long time.  That really meant a lot to me,” he says.

Doctors had found a tumour “the size of an eggplant” on his kidney. “The hardest time was when I knew I had cancer but I didn’t know what I was up against, what the prognosis would be. I’d seen cancer up close and personal, so I knew what I could be facing.

“My father died of lymphoma. My sister was in chemotherapy for bowel cancer. It's in my family,” explained the 53-year-old.

Fortunately, the tumour was encapsulated, meaning that it was confined to one area and hadn’t spread to other tissue in his body. Surgery removed the tumour and John didn’t require any radiation or chemotherapy. “I’m one of the lucky ones.”

“My wife Dianne was amazing. After my surgery, I had to sleep in a Lazy Boy recliner for two weeks. I was in excruciating pain. She massaged my feet every night. A little physical comfort like that means a lot.”

John was upfront with his three children about his disease. “It helped to be able to tell them what was going to happen.” 

Talking to people about his cancer paid off in unexpected dividends. Some of John’s old school friends, who are now living across the country, suggested getting together for a reunion. “The first year, we went kayaking in the Gulf Islands. Two years later, we enjoyed a holiday together in the Magdalen Islands.  We now plan to have reunions every two years.”  

John has some advice for those who know someone with cancer:  “Don't be afraid to talk about it. Let them know that you’re aware of what they’re going through. It means so much to them.” 

And as a professional photographer, John also knows the power of images. He is a contributor to PhotoSensitive's "Cancer Connections" project, a photo exhibit that documents the effects of cancer on the lives of people living across Canada.  “I took a self-portrait of myself holding my oncology report.” 

“The goal of the exhibit is to raise awareness about cancer and to show the public what people with cancer go through. I believe the still photograph is one of the most powerful mediums to move people and communicate emotion.”