Carol Silverander
Carol Silverander lost a heroic decade-long battle with breast cancer on June 27, 2008. Carol was a woman of many accomplishments. A talented professional photographer and photojournalist, she was a pioneer in the field of social documentary photography, traveling the world making a visual record of different cultures, and teaching the concepts she developed at the University of Arizona. Her widespread interests and entrepreneurial spirit led her to found EthnoGraphics, a nationally recognized multicultural greeting card company that grew to publish the work of more than 70 individual artists.
After being diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer in 2000, Carol sold EthnoGraphics in order to concentrate on fighting her disease. Addressing that effort with an optimism and determination uniquely her own, she became a strong advocate for cancer patients being actively involved in their own care, while seeking effective complementary treatment.
Initially told that she would live for just two years, Carol enjoyed more than eight years of good health, travel, and the loving companionship of family and friends. Throughout it all, she was devoted to helping people see cancer as a chronic condition that can be managed, instead of an immediate death sentence. In 2005, Carol wrote a book about living with advanced breast cancer. Now in its second printing, Carol's book has helped hundreds of people to face a diagnosis of cancer with the courage and hopefulness that she embodied.
She is survived by her husband, Michael Silverander of Santa Barbara, California; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Lisa Romano of Bend, Oregon; daughter Kim Romano of Brooklyn, New York; son David Silverander of Mountain View, California; twin sister and brother-in-law Cheryl and Leonard Karp of Tucson, Arizona; sister Nancy Davison of Tucson, Arizona; brother and sister-in-law Vernon and Ann Davison of San Leandro, California; and sister Patricia Matter of Seattle, Washington.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Cheryl. Lee Davison (Karp)
My identical twin sister, Carol Davison (Silverander), died in June, 2008, from metastatic breast cancer. She lived a wonderful, life, filled with love. She always maintained an optimistic view of life. Prior to her death, Carol obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona and went on to receive her Masters Degree from Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. She also taught at both Pima College and the University of Arizona. She started a cross-disciplined class in Social Documentary Photography. She went on to form her own Greetings Card company - Ethnographics, which included beautiful art and photography from various cultures around the world. In this capacity, she was appointed to serve on the executive committee of the American Greetings Card Association Board of Directors. She won many awards for her cards.
When Carol was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, she sought treatment in both Santa Barbara and by a physician in Paris, France. This definitely improved her quality of life. We had many trips together with our husbands to Paris. Carol ended up writing a book related to her journey with cancer and the course of her treatment - With the Help of Our Friends from France: Stabilizing and Living with Advanced Breast Cancer.
Carol is survived by her beloved husband, Michael, son, Michael, daughter, Kim,, step-son, David, identical twin sister, Cheryl (Len), brother, Vernon, and sisters Pat & Nancy. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members and dear friends who loved her.
Maralyn Hauer (Hauer)
You and Carol accomplished so very much. I cannot imagine the pain of the loss of a twin sister,. Carol left us too soon., yet she gave us her dynamic creativity and determination that will live on.