It’s an as moving as powerful photographic essay by Angelo Merendino, husband of late Jennifer Merendino. On My Wife’s Fight With Breast Cancer, Merendino follows Jennifer through all the stages of the deadly cancer with his camera, photographing an unadorned eyewitness account of silent pain and his wife slowly falling apart. The images are never degrading. Merendino’s unpretentious photography visualizes the suffering in a dignifying way. Yet, the photographic project turned into something much more. Merendino:

To honor my late wife Jennifer, who passed at the age of 40 from metastatic breast cancer, I have started The Love You Share, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide financial assistance to women in need while they are receiving treatment for breast cancer. Fifty percent of the net profits from sales of my book will be donated to The Love You Share. I cannot think of a better way to honor Jennifer’s legacy than by helping others.

Merendino processed their battle they didn’t choose creatively and turned the difficult time into an altruistic project serving others:

The quiet black-and-white photographs take us along to the hospital, for that last time to the beach, then finally there’s the all made up empty bed with no one in it.

Chapeau, Angelo Merendino. It is one thing to not turn personal suffering into a voyeuristic spectacle. It is another to use a camera up close and personal for great, moving, yet thoroughly graceful storytelling.

To close with Jennifer:

Love every morsel of the people in your life.

To see the whole photography series documenting Jennifer’s fight with cancer, visit Angelo Merendino’s dedicated gallery.