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TWO Underwater Healer Live Events This Week!

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October 7, 2015/by
I’m happy to announce that this week I have not one, but TWO Underwater Healer live events in the Bay Area.  I hope you can join me either Thursday, October 8th at 6 PM at the San Francisco Apple Store on Stockton or Saturday, October 10th at 4 PM and the Apple Store in Palo Alto.  Come out to one (or both!) to hear all about my Underwater Healer Project, see photos from my many cancer survivor photo shoots and find out how you can get involved and be a supporter.  While both events are free, if you do plan to attend please register at the Apple Store event link.  I’m also excited to reveal that we will have special guest at both events!  Attending on Thursday will be survivors Alysha Gonzalez and Nancy Hom and in Palo Alto you will be able to meet survivor Eden Leatherman.  I’m so happy they will be able to join me and I am looking forward to seeing you all very soon.  And as a special bonus: if you sign up for a session at one of the Apple Store events this week you will get a special discount! As I mentioned last week, it’s been a busy few weeks filled with many underwater shoots. I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with some amazing individuals - both survivors and supporters of my Underwater Healer project.  I was also blessed that a recent shoot took me to Palm Springs, to a beautiful home and...
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Underwater Healer is BACK at the San Francisco Apple Store 10/8/15

Underwater Healer About Face
September 30, 2015/by
I’m excited to announce that next week, October 8th at 6 PM, I’ll be hosting another event at the San Francisco Apple Store on Stockton.  Please come (and bring friends!) to hear all about my Underwater Healer Project, see photos from my many cancer survivor photo shoots and find out how you can get involved and be a supporter.  I’m so excited to be back at the San Francisco Apple Store.  I can’t wait to see you there and answer any questions you might have. It’s been a busy three weeks filled with not one, not two, but three underwater shoots!  I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with some fantastic, beautiful individuals - both survivors and supporters of my Underwater Healer project.  I have so much to catch you up on, but for now lets rewind to September 12th. My first San Jose shoot two weekends ago allowed be to work with two beautiful cancer survivors - Eden and Alysha.  I knew the shoot was going to be magical when both of the ladies showed up wearing mermaid pants.  Eden, a two time Wilm’s Tumor survivor and currently battling congestive heart failure felt very insecure about her many surgery scars.  I’m happy to report that after her shoot with she said felt full and beautiful, which is exactly the result I aim for with all my clients. Also sharing the pool with Eden was Alysha, a Papillary Thyroid cancer who underwent a complete thyroidecomy.  Her treatments have left her fatigued and issues...
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Underwater Healer – The Beginnings

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September 23, 2015/by
Underwater Healer - The Beginnings For over two years I’ve had the pleasure of working with many amazing cancer survivors as part of my Underwater Healer - About Face campaign. Starting initially with 13 survivors, I raised funds on IndieGoGo to cover the cost of the portrait sessions for the survivors and to this day, all photography sessions are covered at no expense to them. The rest of the campaign money was donated to IHadCancer.com, an online community where survivors, family members and supporters share their stories and connect together. It’s been a profound joy to help cancer survivors celebrate regaining their health and life through underwater portrait shoots. What many may not know, is why I began Underwater Healer. It’s because I too had undergone healing. Years ago, I survived a traumatic car accident, in which I was severely injured and lost my father. The pain was immeasurable. As part of my own healing process, I volunteered with the American Cancer Society’s Look Good, Feel Better Program. This program teaches beauty techniques to cancer patients to help them manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment. Through this program, cancer patients improve their self esteem and gain support, confidence and courage through the beauty sessions and the LGFB community. Watching them marvel at their transformations touched me deeply. I wanted to lend my own talents to helping cancer patients and survivors see themselves as beautiful. I always have had an affinity for the underwater world and from this I had become a...
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USA Today

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September 22, 2015/by
USA Today I'm so thrilled to announce that Underwater Healer About Face project was on USA Today last weekend! Thank you @studiomiyaando for bringing me #usatoday @usatoday #cancersurvivorproject #underwaterhealer #underwaterphotography #cancersurvivor #cancer #healthy #health #heal A video posted by Underwater_Beauty_SanFrancisco (@erenashimoda) on Sep 21, 2015 at 8:10am PDT 8 Things People with Cancer Really Want to Say 1.   The new normal is scary. Really scary. So don’t disappear on me when treatment ends! I may need you more than ever. 2.   You can’t catch cancer from me. It’s not contagious. You can stop avoiding me now. 3.   Everything might not be okay. Please don’t tell me that you “know” it will be. 4.   If you can’t handle this, I don’t have time for you. So if you walk away, don’t try and come back when I’m healthy again. 5.   Everyone’s experience with cancer is different. So you really have to stop talking about your brother’s sister-in-law’s cousin who passed away from cancer. It doesn’t help. 6.   Chemo brain is real. And it’s hard to deal with. Please be patient with me. It’s not like I want to be forgetful. 7.   Cancer doesn’t define me. So can we please talk about something else? I’m still me. 8.   Life with cancer is an emotional rollercoaster. The kind that goes upside down and leaves you hanging with the blood rushing to your face for a while—so, yeah, I might be optimistic one day and a huge b**** the next. It...
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Underwater Healer About Face in BOSTON 7/17/2015

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June 11, 2015/by
Underwater Healer About Face in BOSTON 7/17/2015 Underwater Healer = an underwater portrait photography as a form of healing About Face = a complete change in attitude 180 degrees Help cancer survivors rediscover their beauty through underwater portrait photography. July 16, 2015 we are meeting 3 cancer survivors to do an underwater healing photography project, Underwater Healer About Face in Boston! Also giving a talk at Apple store on Friday the 17th. We want to thank you who signed up for underwater portrait session in 2014 and 2015 to support our project moving forward. A partial portrait session money is going to be used for the Boston trip. Flight, transportation, Airbnb, pool rental fee and all other expenses. The rest of the money is for the Bay Area survivors (approximately 3) in August, 2015. It's never too late to sign up for an underwater portrait session to support cancer survivor project! Please let me know if you have any questions. Since 2013, I've met 14 survivors. And now, I'm adding 3 more mermaids to my underwater healer map! Chien-Chi HuangSurvived from triple negative breast cancer (stage 2). She was diagnosed at the age of 40 in 2005. Katie Shute Survived from breast cancer (stage 2). She was diagnosed  at the age of 40 in 2013 Kim Santagata Survived from triple negative breast cancer (stage 2). She was diagnosed at the age of 26 in 2014 . I'm really excited to meet these beautiful ladies and see them transform into mermaids through underwater portrait photography! Please come hear the story and...
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Apple store underwater healer event in Santa Monica

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April 6, 2015/by
Apple store underwater healer event in Santa Monica It was such an amazing experience being in Los Angeles to give a presentation on our campaign, Underwater Healer About Face, help cancer survivors rediscover their beauty through underwater portrait photoghraphy. I've done this last year at SF Apple store location but I still have a fear towards public speaking! practice practice... Ok, time is up! I'm going to do this! I was happy to meet new people, see old friends and co-workers! I showed some of the creative underwater shots. This is an underwater BJJ. The images were featured on Fightland, VICE and printed on the February and March Issue. I also want to thank Fightland for the contribution to support our future underwater healer project to help cancer survivors! Thank you! I shared a story of one of the 13 cancer survivors, Amber from Hawaii. She survived from Thyroid cancer when she was 20 years old. Chelsea is a pediatric cancer survivor. She was diagnosed brain cancer when she was 8 years old. She shared her story and an underwater experience to inspire the audience. The presentation was successful! For the Q&A session, I asked them what they thought of our campaign. Erin is a professional underwater photographer. She gave us positive comments and encouragements for the future project! It meant so much to us. Thank you so much for your support, Erin! Diane is a BJJ practitioner (purple belt) and a medical school student. By hearing from a future doctor, her opinion meant so much for all...
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BaySpo Japanese Local News ベイスポ新聞

about, Underwater Healer About Face
October 2, 2014/by
BaySpo Japanese Local News ベイスポ新聞 Thank you so much for featuring my work on the Bay Area Residents section. My picture is so big on the printed version! You can view the web version here but it's only in Japanese. ベイエリアの新聞、ベイスポ新聞に載せて頂いて有り難うございました！プリント版は結構大きな写真でした。ウェブ版で日本語が読めます。 more images on the printed version....
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Solo Exhibit at Tokyo Gallery Midoriso

art show
May 7, 2014/by
水中ポートレイト写真家、下田恵玲奈が手がける水中ヒーリング  プロジェクトの展示会『Underwater Healer About Face"』 Solo Exhibit at Tokyo Gallery Midoriso 展示会 2014年 17日（土）18日（日）12:00~17:00 オープニング•レセプション•パーティー 日時 : 2014年 5月 16日（金）18:00～21:00 場所 : 中目黒「みどり荘」 東京都 目黒区青葉台3311 2階/ 3階 http://midori.so/ カリフォルニア州サンフランシスコをベースに活躍する水中写真家、下田恵玲奈が癌克服者に捧げるプロジェクト。水中でのヒーリング活動を手がける下田恵玲奈の願い、それは、癌克服者が自己の美を再び見いだせるよう、彼らの内成るパワーを引き出すチームとなること。 癌克服者が経験する癌告知から手術、治療、副作用、そして再発への恐怖といった経験。それは肉体的にも精神的にも 辛いトラウマ的な経験だが、癌を通じて生に向き合い諦めずにチャレンジするというかけがえのない経験から彼らは自らの人生をさらに強く美しく塗り替える生命力を得るのだと下田は語る。癌サバイバーが再び自信を取り戻し、セルフイメージを高める事が出来るように、彼らの内なる輝きを水中ポートレイトとして贈る手助けを活動の一貫とし、２０１３年、アメリカ各地にて１３人の癌克服者達の写真撮影を行う。２０１４年の３月、彼らの美しいイメージと、ストーリーを記した本を出版。そして今回初の東京での展示会がギャラリーみどり荘にて開催されることとなった。 画期的で慈悲に満ちあふれる下田恵玲奈の世界観を五感で体験する３日間。 http://underwaterhealer.com/testimonials http://igg.me/at/aboutface/x/1633174 Erena Shimoda's "Underwater Healer About Face" Solo Exhibit at Tokyo Gallery, Midoriso May 17 (Sat.) and May 18 (Sun.), 2014 12:00~17:00 opening reception May 16 (Fri.) 18:00～21:00 San Francisco, CA – April 21, 2014 Erena Shimoda, a San Francisco-based underwater photographer has launched an innovative and philanthropic fundraiser to benefit cancer survivors by rediscovering their beauty through underwater portrait photography. Solo Exhibit at Tokyo Gallery Midoriso In 2013, Shimoda photographed 13 cancer survivors across the United States and published a corresponding book of the photographs and beautiful stories of the survivors. She will be exhibiting her photographs as well as her book at Midoriso in Tokyo, May...
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Genentech USMA conference in Arizona, Phoenix

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May 6, 2014/by
Genentech USMA conference I was invited to Genentech USMA conference in Arizona, Phoenix from April 21-25 to present my underwater healer project. They flew me out and gave me a gorgeous hotel!! For the opening night to welcome us, the band, Pink Martini played! I wish I had talked to them! Sante Johnson came with me to give a beautiful speech in front of more than 500 doctors. She was one of the survivors from my underwater healer about face campaign, 2013. She survived from breast cancer. In the end of 2013, she was diagnosed and she is sick again. She agreed to share her experience going through her treatment. (Thank you, Sante!) Monday night, We finally got to meet the organizers and Sante rehearsed her speech. Tuesday was the BIG day for us. Sante's husband sent flowers to wish us the best of luck!! So sweet! Thank youuu-!! Then we checked out my images if they arrived safely from SF! Whewww they did! Sante's speech time! The place was packed!! I was so nervous for her! I was holding an iPad to take video. Her speech was beautiful. She talked about her artistic life and experience going through her treatment. She also talked about my underwater healer project how therapeutic it was to experience the transformation. When she finished her speech, everybody stood up. I started crying! After the speech, we all went upstairs to see my images. I stood right next to them and Q and A sessions with everyone who appreciated my work. They were...
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Underwater Healer Project Book Release Party

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April 17, 2014/by
Underwater Healer Project Book Release Party Thank you so much for coming to my book release party!! It was a full 3 hours and I hope I've got to say Hi and Bye to everyone! I was selling my first self-published book from the cancer survivor campaign. All the money is going to be spent for Tokyo Gallery show in May. My mother was helping me out all night long-!   I was also selling my metal prints from my Japanese Folklore Yokai Project. It was selling a lot! All the small ones are GONE! I printed 10 canvas gallery wraps from my cancer survivor project and these are shipped to Arizona for Genentech Conference. I packed and shipped on Monday! I hope they arrived safely.... One of the cancer survivors, Sante came to support my party! I'll be going to Arizona with her. She is giving a big talk in front of 500+ audience about her experience of  transformation and letting go. She is also going to mention about the underwater healer project experience. I'm so thrilled and grateful to be a part of medical conference with my project! I'll be showing my work and Q and A after Sante's talk. It was so nice to see everyone. I was really nervous how it was going to turn out but I'm happy with the result! I still have some books left before I take them all to Tokyo. If you are interested, please email me. Thank you so much again for your support! I'm grateful...
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