Community Comes Together for Tara Lessard, G Philly Contributor and Gayborhood Photographer

Writer’s note: I’ve received permission from Ms. Lessard to share this story.

I first learned about Tara Lessard‘s cancer diagnosis while I was in a hotel room. She sent me a text and I was quite literally speechless.

Chances are, if you’ve been to an event in the Philadelphia Gayborhood, you’ve encountered Ms. Lessard. Her photography company, Freedom G Photography, has captured countless memories of Gay Philly, from various Pride festivals to parities to awards ceremonies. Tara has also been a regular contributor to G Philly, and I can tell you from personal experience that she is professional, passionate, and thoughtful. She has such an interesting story and has been a valued friend for many LGBT organizations throughout the city. And now, people are eager to give back.

Ms. Lessard has been diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, which was a slight improvement given her initial diagnosis of stage 4. She has been undergoing a series of rigorous treatments, including chemotherapy. She informed me that her doctor claims that her tumors are shrinking, but that she will continue her chemo through January, followed by surgery, followed by additional chemo treatments.

This obviously all costs money, and a crowd source fundraiser has been established to help Ms. Lessard with her medical expenses. The fundraiser is trying to raise $10,000, and any donations are welcome. Also, organizers state that there will be a fundraising event at the William Way Community Center in January, with details coming soon.

For more information on the fundraiser, visit this website. You can also check out some of Ms. Lessard’s previous shots for G Philly here.