a Thousand Words

book to show that despite each cancer journey being different and highly personal, there are shared experiences and connections to be made with other people walking a similar path. “I hope that ‘Resilience’ can offer anyone on their path with cancer, or any other hardship in life, to take solace in reading that they are not alone,” says Mansour, “and to read of everyday women who journeyed with cancer and how they approached it. The book is filled with hope.”

In hopes of reaching a wider audience, Mansour also made the book available as a free online download. Knowing the fear he went through when his father was facing cancer, he hoped that as many people as possible, whether cancer warrior, thriver, supporter or caregiver, could use this book as a way to know they are not alone. “If this book can somehow bring a glimmer of hope [or] shine a light in a dark tunnel, or resonate with and lift the morale of just one person, then I know that what we set out to do has been realized,” says Mansour.

The title of the book came from a common thread Mansour says he and his wife noticed through each woman’s cancer story: “The resilience of the human spirit to face and walk through seemingly insurmountable odds,” says Mansour. We all will face our own hardships, he explains, but the true connection comes from hearing how others faced their battles and walked their journeys.

As for Mansour’s favorite part of creating “Resilience,” his highs intertwine with his lows. From meeting the women and photographing them, to distributing copies around the world and to the public, Mansour loved every minute of the process. However, two of the interviewees in the book passed away upon nearing the completion of the project. “Their losses were truly felt by the whole team,” says Mansour. “And, feeling much sadness, we resolved to honor these women as best as we could by continuing to share ‘Resilience’ with the world.”

The whole experience of “Resilience” has made Mansour look for more projects with meaning attached to them. He and his wife are already bouncing ideas for a new book they can create together. The most important question that Mansour asks himself, however, is this: What are you doing with the platform you are given? “How will I use my platform to empower and inspire others?” he says. “How will I support my fellow human being? To me, this is what humanity is about — connecting us all and supporting each other so that we may face our journeys with a shared sense of togetherness and a reminder of who we really are.”

But above all, Mansour and his wife want to shed light on the women who made “Resilience” possible, and the ones who found beauty and strength amidst the toughest journey of their lives. “These 42 women are the real heroines of this project,” says Mansour. “We have simply told their stories and brought their beauty to the world. They are the ones who have faced their journeys, shared their stories and walked each step of their realities.”