By Sarah Lebrun
Staff Writer

A self-portrait taken with fiance Craig Boudreau. (Courtesy Photo/Kristin Despathy)

Kristin Despathy developed a love for photography at a young age, having picked up a camera for the first time in sixth grade. Through the years, that passion evolved into a lifestyle and career. In 2000, she graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia with a degree in photography, and currently, she is the co-owner of Rheault Photographers at 72 Hanover St. in Manchester.

Though Despathy has won awards for her pictures, photography, more importantly, has helped her through difficult times in her life.

Despathy is a breast cancer survivor and was first diagnosed in October 2003 at the age of 25.

“My initial reaction was shock,” Despathy said. “I didn’t expect it. There was no family history.”

“I didn’t start to cry, I just felt empty. After a couple of minutes of (the doctor) just talking, I just remember blurting out ‘I have to lie down.’”

Despathy went through radiation therapy until February 2004 when she was declared cancer-free.

She participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life that year, an overnight event that celebrates survivorship and raises money for research and programs at the Society.

“It was just a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by people who had gone through this disease,” said Despathy.

In September 2005, she was rediagnosed with breast cancer. She had a full masectomy in November 2005 and began chemotherapy in December.

Being a surreal situation for Despathy, she chose her own way to deal with her emotions ­ she chose to photograph the process through her diagnosis, surgery and treatments.

“As an artist, it has helped me get everything out that’s inside. Photography has helped me release those emotions,” Despathy said. “I was able to see all those emotions rather than just feel them.”

Some of Despathy’s breast cancer photos won her an international award at a show called “Oncology on Canvas,” hosted at the Royal College of Art in London, where she won the award for Best Photography by a Woman who Survived Cancer.

Though Despathy originally took photos of her process through diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer to deal with her own emotions, she hopes to use her photos in a show at some point to show awareness of the disease at a young age.

Besides winning an award for her breast cancer photos, Despathy also won awards at the 47th New Hampshire Photographer Association’s yearly convention for the following pieces:

• “Chicken Tuscany” ­ Commercial Photography Award

• “Flower Girl” ­ Social Candid Photography Award

• “Dancing Queen” ­ Social Candid Photography Award

• “First Kiss” ­ Social Candid Photography Award

Despathy also participated in Relay for Life in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, Rheault Photographers participated as a team in the event and raised a total of $4,757.

That same year, they donated a net profit of $2,400 from Manchester Central High School’s prom photos to the organization.