Pamela Cytron

I found Pamela Cytron by chance. I was on the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Making Strides against Breast Cancer website to sign up for the October 18 Walk. Once I clicked on her profile, I immediately had a gut feeling that I would dedicate this project to her. Why did I pick Pam? Her story just exudes resiliency and exhibits realistic optimism. She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer just a few months ago in Spring 2009 and has already had a double mastectomy shortly after. She has no family history and had a mammogram done just one year before. She is only 42 years old and has two children. When I saw her ACS profile and read one of her favorite quotes, I could tell she was a very strong and unique individual: "In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life; it goes on.”

Her story stood out to me not only because of her fundraising efforts but because of her realistic optimism; that is, not just believing that everything happens for the best but instead, making the best of things that happen. I also admired her clear understanding and commitment to raising awareness – many people dismiss this part of battling Cancer while in reality, it can only help not harm, in the quest of a cure. This was why I picked her.
When I met Pam in person, it was so amazing. Being a psychology major, I’ve written so many term papers and case studies on people that exhibit resiliency but I’ve never truly looked into the eyes of a patient and that was the most rewarding part of this assignment. Pam is the CEO of Pendo Systems, an investment banking software company, here in Newark. She invited me into her office, and in this photo, she was showing me Newark from a much higher ground than I'd ever seen before. She followed up with me a few days after the shoot to send me another favourite inspirational quote of hers : "Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles, and the bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles. Your decision to be, have and do something out of the ordinary entails facing difficulties and challenges that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else." -by Brian Tracy.

This photo, taken by her twentieth floor window, captures the essence of Pamela Cytron as a character: a hard-working mother, a loving wife, a successful businesswoman and best of all, a strong individual that gives back to the community and truly believes that everything in life is mind over matter.