Shawn Van Daele Brings Hope to Children Through Storybook

The Drawing Hope Project is a heart-warming series of photographs of children in magical settings by Shawn Van Daele. The Canadian photographer started the project two years ago as a way to put the spotlight on children born or living with health conditions. The inspiration for each image comes from pictures drawn by the children themselves and realized by Shawn through a visit at the family’s home for the photo shoot. He then edits the photograph and transforms it into something beautiful featuring the child as the lead character of the show. Van Daele travels across the U.S. and Canada at his own expense to bring each child’s imagination to life in an effort to raise awareness about their ailment and the importance of organ donation. Van Daele says “I hear a lot ‘that was soooooo fun!’ afterwards, and the best shots are the ones where they’re laughing or giggling and smiling, which is so important for kids who spend so much time in hospitals.” The photographs will be compiled into a storybook complete with each child’s original drawing and inspiring story.

Follow more of Shawn’s journey and the rest of The Drawing Hope Project on their Facebook page.