‘Cancer. Shadow and Light’ is one of the most deeply emotional and heartfelt projects of Nudrat Afza’s career—an intimate, visual chronicle of her younger sister Sairah’s battle with breast cancer. The collection began entirely on impulse on Eid, a sacred day of Muslim celebration, when Sairah stopped by Afza’s home unexpectedly. Standing in the doorway, she exuded a vibrant, defiant attitude that Afza captured in a portrait titled ‘Here I am!’.
That single, spontaneous photograph sparked a multi-year journey. With Sairah’s blessing, Afza documented every stage of her experience: from her initial diagnosis and prognosis to the grueling physical and emotional trials of cancer treatment. While the subject matter is undeniably sombre and serious, Afza’s ultimate goal was to move past clinical despair to illuminate Sairah’s extraordinary resilience, humor, dignity, and abundance of love—capturing an inspirational woman who faced her mortality with immense strength and optimism.
Supported by Arts Council England and the staff at the Bradford Royal Infirmary, this series represents a powerful fusion of personal healing and public education. It strips away the clinical sterility of cancer to focus on the human spirit, capturing how light always finds a way to pierce through the darkest shadows.
Category:
Date:
2 March 2021
