This August, 16 South Africans were honoured at the unveiling of the Moments in Time 2007 calendar; and like the four years that have gone before it, this year's event was characterised by stories of hope and triumph. Since 2001, this unique project has raised funds to fight cancer through the sale of a range of products that feature artistic images of local cancer patients. This is the fifth year of the initiative and is expected to be the most successful to date.

The calendar portrays a specially selected cancer patient for each month in 2007. All patients have different forms of cancers in various stages of the disease, all from different backgrounds, with different experiences, who have opened themselves up to the lens of the camera. While seemingly average everyday citizens, the patients in the calendar are anything but ordinary. They have all chosen to stand up and be counted, saying "yes" to life in spite of their pain and choosing to fight cancer and become crusaders for the cause.

This year the project has moved away from the hallmark black and white portrait shots, to full colour images shot at the Mount Grace and the beautiful Magaliesberg surrounds. The 2007 photographer selected for the task is one of the country's leading fashion photographers, Merwelene van der Merwe.

Project director and AstraZeneca Executive Director Prof Matt Haus says, "The 2007 calendar was a series of predictable miracles. From the Mount Grace's endorsement of the project, approval of the location shoots and use of the hotel as a base, to the selection of patients and discovery of Merwelene; there was synchronicity in every new step of the journey. With 2007 being the fifth production of Moments of Time, we were acutely aware of the need to introduce new life into the project. And while changing the popular format was a calculated risk, the end product has exceeded all expectations and we are confident it will be well received."

All the Moments in Time products (which include a range of calendars, greeting cards, CDs, DVDs and even a golf shirt!) are on sale from end-August and can be ordered online at www.momentsintime.co.za, by emailing Rachel.kivedo@astrazeneca.com, or by simply calling 0861 66 66 00.

[1 Nov 2006 15:28]

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