January 2015 Cover Girl!

In the last months of Zoë’s degree in Photography, she realised how much of her work was psychology related. She was beginning to be fascinated by the mind, and explored that in her coursework, images and essays. She couldn’t see herself as a business woman and saw herself more as someone who helped people with their problems. Her problem, though, was telling us! But we have always believed that our children should be encouraged to pursue what they wanted; not to be forced into anything, so she was surprised when we said it was all right not to become a photographer after all.

In 2014, just after her 21st birthday, she wrote her story of living with TS, and sent it in to Share Your Story on the TSA website. She wrote in her diary about how she hoped to use her normality to create a bridge between TS people and non-TS people. ‘I just hope it inspires’.

But the months went by with no response, and she considered becoming a TS volunteer instead. Perhaps she could make use of her photography skills there? Her first assignment was to take photos of all the staff on the TSA Staff Day to use in the TSA Scan Magazine. She wasn’t used to taking photos of new people, but when some said they didn’t usually like having their photos taken either, she realised that they had their insecurities too, and she felt better.

After several months coping with her first lung collapse, she was cheered by being asked to do a telephone interview about her story by Isobel, the TSA magazine editor, who also requested a photo of her for the front of the magazine!

Here it is. Her journey as a TSA Volunteer photographer had begun!