Empowerment photoshoot being held in Northwich

Sunday, 30 January 2022 18:42

An empowerment photoshoot is being held in Northwich on 10th April for those living with an invisible illness or disability. Whether that's mental or physical.

This is one of 12 shoots taking place across the UK this year, which will be launched into an awareness / charity calendar for 2023.

In February 2020, Jessica Mary Logan the founder of www.makingtheinvisiblevisible.org.uk launched these empowerment photoshoots to help others overcome the negativity they experience / feel because of their illness or disability.

Each person wore a black outfit and wrote words on their skin to represent their symptoms, feelings and even remarks they've received such as 'you don't look sick' or 'lazy'. It was a great tool to raise awareness of their hidden struggles with the words bringing them to life whilst it helped people feel understood and gain confidence.

A breast Cancer Survivor with a single mastectomy said "I have overcome my fears and have been just in my underwear, baring my scars in a room full of people. I can honestly say I'm happy with me....my body....and how I look. I may not be perfect but I am me"

Beverly Greenwood a disability campaigner from Northwich said "We stood together proud to show how no matter what we face, we are strong powerful women and saying thank you doesn't seem enough. My illness has made me feel so isolated and lonely but today has changed that. You've given me my spark back by making me feel normal again."

Covid cancelled future plans for the shoots but with the power / support of social media over 70 people got involved from home and a covid safe photoshoot took place in Kent. Ant Bradshaw from Style and Story International Pageant Photography edited the individual images into group photos, which were then used to create a 2021 awareness calender.

Around 170 copies sold in the UK and internationally, which raised £500 for the 10 different charities supported by the cause.

As the calendar was successful and covid restrictions eased, Jessica organised 4 photoshoots within the UK whilst others took part from home to create the 2022 version. This again raised £500 for charity and sold approximately 160 copies, making the total raised from calendar sales at £1000.

Keep those eyes peeled as those involved aim to go out into the public after 12pm to share their stories / receive support. It's your job to help them see their true worth, which is something they can be blind to due to past discrimination, daily struggles but mainly due to high beauty standards / lack of representation of 'real' bodies in the media.

More needs to be done to create a lasting change by paving the way and breaking the mould. True representation is needed to help those struggling with body confidence and to breakdown these unrealistic beauty standards for future generations. One 'perfect' body does NOT exist because everyone is PERFECT in their own unique way.

This project is extremely close to Jessica's heart because she herself lives with a number of hidden illnesses. She understands how mentally and physically challenging it can be and experiences discrimination on a regular basis.

Jessicas life turned upside down in 2017 when she was suddenly fighting for her life in hospital and being told she needed emergency stoma surgery to survive.

She had just turned 25 years old and was planning her wedding to her now husband Dale, in the process of buying their forever home, had built a successful career, a fitness fenatic, a keen traveller and eager to be a mum but this all went in the blink of an eye.

Her stoma surgery saved her life but it left her suicidal for around 6 months. She struggled to accept the changes to her body and her health, which impacted what she could do on a day to day. There was no one shown in the media that looked like her and it made her doubt her worth. She managed to overcome this battle by getting infront of the camera herself thanks to a past acquaintance Stuart Randle Photography.

She felt like a new woman and knew she had to pass this experience onto others to help them find self love and feel worthy.

Jessica is now unable to work due to the damage on her body created by the illness, the trauma of 4 major bowel surgeries and post op complications.

She was later diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome / myalgic encephalomyelitis, which can leave her bed bound and struggle with daily tasks that people take for granted. Creating her projects and awareness merchandise has given her back a purpose in her life. She fights her physical and mental demons on a daily basis but she keeps going because she knows it's making a difference to others, which is worth the fight.

If someone is asked what disabled looks like, most people assume it's someone in a wheelchair or using a walking aid, which proves that there is still a long way to go to end the stigma for the disabled. Too many people are afraid to say they are disabled because people assume it means 'unable'. When in fact many people can still live a relatively 'normal' life however they just face restrictions or limitations within their day.

Education is the key to helping others understand and by being more understanding, less people will be afraid to go out in public, afraid to label themselves as disabled, afraid to ask for adjustments, embarrassed to use facilities, harassed, bullied and discriminated against but MORE people will be happy.

With your support we can make a difference!