3 year-old Sahman Alchoush, from Chalchul in Hebron, was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at the age of two. As part of my authentic photography, as well as of children, I was privileged to meet the "The Road to Recovery", a non-profit Israeli organization that helps transport Palestinian patients, especially children, from the checkpoints to the hospitals in Israel. "The Road to Recovery" assisted me in accompanying and documenting Sahman and his family, in the last weeks of his life, during which Sahman stayed at the Hospice in "Tel Hashomer" Hospital and then to visit and document them at their home in Hebron during days of grief.
Sahman passed away On july 11th 2019 and was the eldest son of his parents Jaffar and Tasneem and big brother to little Bissan
The Family's Documentation won a competition on the subject "Transformation" of The 8th International Photography Festival PHOTO IS:RAEL, and was shown at the main exhibition during November 2020, period of Covid and closure, in Kikar Hamedina ,Tel Aviv-Israel.
I had the privilege of meeting Sahman's parents once again, when they received a one time permit to enter into Israeli territory and see their son's documentation in the exhibition.
The last picture in my series is a closure to the first one, in which Sahman left his home for the last time and was carried by his father.
His parents and I are friends till this day, and very recently another son was born to them, Isaac.
"SAHMAN" has made it to the final round of Jury voting and is awarded the title of "Official Selection" in IPA, The International Photography Awards 2022, and for me it's a humble achievement even if it didn't announced as a winner.
https://www.photoawards.com/winner/zoom.php?eid=8-225989-22
Gratful for Sahman's story being featured at Lens MAGAZINE Masters in BNW. The BIG B&W Issue 2021 (#80).
