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Moments in Time cancer calendar launched

The month of November has seen the launch of the much anticipated 2011 Moments in Time cancer fundraising products. A collaboration of ambassadors and creative specialists have once again combined their craft to produce a unique range of multi-dimensional, trans-gender, pan-ethnic and interactive Moments in Time.

As in previous years there are strong messages of hope, in spite of desperate times. There’s a culture of sharing experience and support, w hile the harsh realities of cancer, with its raw pain and contrasts, have been captured in unexpected ways.

The result: a range of merchandise that adds colour, inspiration and truth to one’s life. A range that can now be purchased in support of South African cancer patients without medical aid, ensuring that those unsung heroes living with cancer are celebrated in 2011. From fresh beginnings in January, through to the ides of March, through the bleak cold of wintery June, to new hope in spring, and the culmination of the year in December. This calendar project is a clear reflection of the idea that: “This moment is your life”. 

Spreading awareness

An initiative created and sponsored by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Moments in Time, now in its ninth year of production, is a uniquely South African project which features fellow South Africans who have been called upon to reflect on themselves and their personal journeys with cancer. Through their appearance and participation in the 2011 project, 13 handpicked cancer patients have agreed to become ambassadors for the project.

The hope is that these ambassadors will spread awareness of the disease and become beacons of light for those living within their respective communities and our great country as a whole. The project gives these ambassadors a platform from which to spread their messages of hope and share the life lessons they have gained from fighting for their own mortality.

The 2011 project’s visual style is complex and handmade, capturing a range of emotions that are young, old, feminine, brave and above all, heartfelt. This powerful work delivers a certain "realness" and honesty while still maintaining a strong artistic edge. 

No medical aid

The project ambassadors are all beneficiaries of the Moments in Time Trust.  All of these patients, who are not on medical aid, applied to the Trust for financial support and were granted some form of funding relief at a particular point in time over the last few years. 

Through stories of courage, faith and fearlessness, Moments in Time reveals the concept of “meaning in life”.  What began as a sophisticated black-and-white calendar has evolved over these nine years into a kaleidoscope of colour and creativity. 

The 2011 calendar assumes a very distinctive look. It makes statements and tells a story about each ambassador through the inclusion of images that document the patient’s lives, shot by themselves on disposable cameras distributed to the calendar hopefuls prior to their selection. 

'Fruits of the human spirit'

Using clever design techniques, the Moments in Time creative team sought to create a platform that would communicate the following; information about the Moments in Time Trust and its role in the disbursement of funds to needy patients, encourage people to contribute to the cause, motivate them to share their experiences and inspire them to take pause and re-evaluate their own lives.

What makes Moments in Time no ordinary calendar project is the range in age, the varied backgrounds, the diverse life experiences, and the different forms of the disease that the ambassadors bring to life within the pages. 

At first glance, the only thing they seem to have in common is cancer and their need for financial and emotional support. On closer inspection, when one is looking through the windows of their souls and searching for the story behind their smiles, something significantly unifying becomes evident. These amazing people are not brought together by disease alone, but rather by the brave choices that have shaped their lives.

Victor Frankl philosophy

The calendar project is a multi-dimensional, artistic expression of its inspiration and its recurrent theme of “meaning in life”, a Victor Frankl philosophy, is woven into the very tapestry of the project. The work of Frankl suggests we are able to choose our attitude under any given set of circumstances, thereby receiving the freedom to experience meaning in our lives. The calendar sets out to be a visual representation of the “fruits of the human spirit”, and undoubtedly captures the Prologue’s ethos of “hope in the face of despair”, “passion in the face of pain”, “joy in the face of sadness” and “power in the face of vulnerability”. 

As in years gone by, accompanying the 2011 project is a documentary featuring some of the Moments in Time ambassadors.  It further encapsulates, via a different medium, all the principles and philosophies that the calendar stands for. Footage of the individuals, as well as recorded voiceovers help drive the DVD’s powerful message by bringing each person’s story to life, sharing their messages of hope and how the Trust rescued them when they needed it most. 

All proceeds go to Trust

All the proceeds from the sale of the calendar, DVD and other merchandise go directly to the Moments in Time Trust.  Funds from the Trust will continue to help underprivileged South African citizens living with cancer, who do not have access to a medical aid.  The fund is administered by five nominated Trustees who consider each application against a strict set of criteria. 

For AstraZeneca, this project is not just an exercise in corporate responsibility (CR), but rather it has become a personal project, very close to the company’s heart. Project director, poet and composer, Prof Matthias Haus says, “The calendar ambassadors have all faced their frailty, chosen their attitude, and have been enriched by depth and meaning that transcends the physical and material realm. The best thing we can do is represent these amazing people and their stories through the creative design process.”

All the Moments in Time products can be ordered online at www.momentsintime.co.za, or by simply calling 0861 66 66 00. 

(Press release)

- (Health24, December 2010)

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