By Teresa Rugg | Project Director
Dear TB Photovoice Family,
We hope you have all had a relaxing and memorable summer with friends and family. We certainly have, but we have also been very busy with the TB Voices Project!
Since March 2013, we have been working hard to give the Snohomish and King County, Washington communities the opportunity to share their TB experiences. We have had participants from nearly every decade coming forward to share how they have been impacted by TB, some who have never spoken about their perspectives and true feelings about the experience. They have all stated that they hope that their story will give encouragement to those impacted by TB today, and it is our hope that TB Photovoice assists in making this happen. We are collecting these stories through video and audio recordings, and photos. We will utilize our website and community exhibitions, and health care provider presentations to highlight the themes of these narratives (in early 2014). The exhibitions and presentations will also share the perspectives of TB Photovoice projects from around the globe, so as to provide the local community with an understanding of how TB is impacting the world.
Here are a few quotes from two of our participants. Their pictures are attached:
"I had tuberculosis in 1993, when I was homeless. I had it full blown. They put me in quarantine on my birthday. That’s okay, I didn’t want to be around anybody on my birthday anyway. It was terrible. I wouldn’t wish that upon anybody. It was absolutely horrible. It was a bad case of affairs. I was even trying to hide from the Snohomish Health Department when they found me. I tried the program for a while and I just kept getting sicker and sicker, so I guess that was part of the course, so I went and hid from Snohomish County Health Department. Turns out, they saved my life." ---Lynda from Everett, WA
"The TB Voices Project has been a bittersweet experience. I learned more about my grandmother and have great respect for what she went through. As part of this process, I saw my grandfather in a new light. Before, I didn't really appreciate his struggle to raise four small children on his own. Knowing some of the facts has allowed me to adjust my attitude toward him --which had been pretty negative. Thanks for the opportunity to delve into my family's past and actually heal some hurts."----Joan from Lynnwood, WA (her grandmother died of TB in 1917)
Take a look at our redesigned website 
and perhaps you too can contribute a TB story of your own!
Our group in Kenya is moving along and this fall they intend to use our website to document their stories! Check out our Facebook page for updates!
Thank you for your continued support and compassion.
Sincerely,
Teresa Rugg
TB Photovoice Project Director
Links:
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