Why we do... what we do

We don’t want any kids, parents or partners to question the love their unwell family member has for them.

Summer 2020

Illness can take its toll, both physically, emotionally and financially. We aim to provide cherished photographic memories before treatment, to provide families an image full of positivity and happiness in their darkest moments.

We don’t want anyone out there to question the love and devotion their ill parent, child or soul mate has for them. We want to give ill parents the option at diagnosis, BEFORE they start treatment and lose their hair, to have family images taken, focusing on the love and connection of the family.

I hope they win their battle and I have in the end simply given the family some amazing memories to cherish for the rest of their life. However, should that person lose their battle, I want the surviving family members to always have the special images I create for them to remember that parent, partner or child before they became ill, and remember and see the love they had for them anytime they look at those images.

I want them to remember the good times, with the parent they knew and not have the strongest memory be one of them in their worst moments of health. Don’t get me wrong I believe the images in the last phase of life are important too, but I don’t want the hard photos to be the only ones the loving family have left to remember this person by.

Autumn 2020

"Belle, not only do we have the photos to remember, but we have the awesome session to remember with all the laughs and hugs with each other. I have always loved photography and you have inspired me to do a course... maybe one day I might be able to be a part of the forevermore family..."

Amy Daly

Forevermore client

It all started when...

Dad 1985 xx

My father passed away from cancer when I was 5 years old, he was sadly at the age of 35. I have many amazing images of my father and I. Some where he looks well but more of him with a bald head from treatment or not looking himself with no thanks to his battle with cancer. Throughout the last 5 years or so in my small business I have photographed many people who have won their battle with this beast and I have given away free sessions to people going through their own battle and this is where it came to me.

Some of the words I have heard from people who have experienced this battle both won and lost. “We meant to get some photos done early in the experience but other items were more important like medical costs.” and so many times I have heard “We wanted to get photos taken but then I started treatment and lost my hair and the last thing I wanted was to be posing for images when I didn’t look like me”.

I love looking back at images of my Dad and I. I will cherish these forever, but you know what? I grew up in a time where mobile phones didn’t exist, selfies were not known by the world and photography wasn’t such a big thing. I have many images of us working in the yard together, exploring and hanging out but not a lot of us just being together snuggled up or talking to each other, i’d give anything for a selfie with my Dad. Lifestyle photography is extremely open to capturing these quiet moments among the chaos and fun of a family, and it might just be because I love this style of photography that I yern for these types of images of not only my Dad but also my own little family.

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And Now....

From early in life I have always felt that I am meant to help others!! After working in a gym and helping people lose weight and spending 15 years in the Apprenticeship Scheme helping young people build a career, I have still felt like I have not quite reached where I am meant to be.

While living the corporate life in Melbourne I was heavily involved in the administration and relationship building areas for a Foundation set up by one of the Group Training Companies I worked for. However when my kids came along I no longer wanted to work endless hours a day so I came back to my high school passion of photography, naturally falling into family photography. After deciding to re-brand my small photography business I was forced do a lot of internal exploration and this is when it came to me my little foundation idea.

Me at work 2020

Now... I have a major goals for this little foundation but my first mission is to provide free photography to family’s who have had a parent diagnosed with a terminal illness (Cancer being close to my heart). There are already services out there for babies and children who are ill for example the amazing people at Heartfelt (did you know they capture up to 16 y/o) but there is a gap here.

No services I could find for adults who are unwell. Now if you come to me with a sick little one I will of course review your application you are not automatically not eligible. But I want to fill the gap parents take pictures of their kids but very rarely do parents take pictures of themselves with the kids other than the odd selfie.

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Meet the Team...

It's a family affair here at the Forevermore Foundation

Belle Chapman

Founder

I pretty much look like this 90% of the time. Well I mean the smile on my face not the wedding ready makeup. I’m the soul behind Forevermore which is the sister company to Family Photography business Belle Chapman Photography my “day job”! Neither of these companies are a job to me they are my passion. I am very lucky to love what I do and have roles that fill my happy cup constantly. You might ask why, (insert laugh) why not?

My Dad passed away from cancer when I was 5. I have always had this incredible drive in my spirit to do more with her life and to be honest I was a bit frustrated, it took her nearly 40 years to work out my purpose, but I’m so relieved I’m finally in the space I am meant to be.

I just want to bring joy or sunshine to what can be the darkest of days, and I want to make sure people left behind have mementos they can hold and cherish and then pass onto their kids and grandkids one day. I know what it feels like to miss someone with everything you have and for a lot of the memories you have to be tarnished with the remnants of “TREATMENT”. I want to avoid that for others by providing an experience and a gift they will likely be unable to afford with expensive medical cost.

Meagan Ellis

Administrator

I pretty much always look like this too! Big smile, beaming with pride and adoration for my beautiful big sister and best friend, Belle. We weren't always this close. Quite often I was the annoying little sister and she was the bossy big sister. But we always loved each other deep down.

The day she asked me to work on this foundation with her, I cried! So honoured she wanted me to be a part of it but also shocked. I'm not a photographer and I have no idea what I'd have to offer. So I said "Yes! I'd love to!" Quietly thinking I'll just work it out later. But I do have plenty to offer. A story to tell, a listening ear and a heart full of empathy and compassion.

Our dad passed away before I was born. 7 weeks and 2 days to be exact. Mum has always told me how the doctors said he only lasted as long as he did because he was fighting to meet me. He lost. But I know he is here with me. With all of us, watching over. On March 1st, 2014 I married my husband James. Dad would have loved him. At our wedding Belle gave a beautiful speech and then handed me a present. Something I had longed for my entire life, but thought it was impossible. A photo of me and my dad (see below). Our heartbreaking story became beautiful again.

The talent and heart Belle has amazes me every day. I can't wait to watch this foundation turn storm's into sunshine for other families.