Stories of Home
The story that comes after “what now?”
Words by Trudy Darmanin
With all that is unfolding in the world right now, and the human suffering that’s brought to us raw in photographs of people fleeing for their lives, two thoughts always strike me harder than all the others when I’m scrolling through the news. I always wonder, firstly, “how are we programmed to do anything to survive, no matter how bad the situation?”. And secondly, “how do we adapt so quickly when everything we’re used to is turned on its head so suddenly?”
Recently, we’ve been working on a project that has also spotlighted the incredible human traits of resilience and adaptation to me, in the form of a photo essay called Stories of Home.
“What now”?
Stories of Home was conceived when Janette Marsh, previously working as a senior executive for international brands for over 35 years, was suddenly diagnosed with ovarian cancer. “What now?” she asked herself.
“What now?” could have been giving up, losing all purpose and letting go. But what’s really special about Janette is that her “what now?” was followed by a conversation with one of her dearest friends, who in turn contacted a photographer, and somehow evolved into Stories of Home.
Stories of Home follows Janette’s journey through acceptance, grief, coping and raising awareness, and ultimately funds, through her current condition. With Andrew Borg Wirth curating her experience and Marija Grech capturing it all in a 100+ page book, almost nothing I’ve encountered before speaks to me so loudly of what it is still to be human, and very human at that, in a turbulent time.
Janette; a storyteller
I can’t do justice to this story, because this is not my story. It is Janette’s, and she is currently telling it in three different events this month. This is not just a story about cancer, or sickness, or sterile hospital stays – it’s really about who we are as people, as fighting species who are resilient and adapt naturally to anything before us.
If you happen to be in Malta on one of the dates below, you’re invited to listen to her speak about her experience – and through working with her and her team, we can really promise you, you’ll carry it with you forever.
Stories of Home is curated by Andrew Borg Wirth with photography by Marija Grech.
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