Novice photographers! Professional photographers! Anyone who owns a camera! --
Help “handraise” for congenital CMV! Raise awareness by taking hand photos!
"Handraising" is the process of taking and collecting hand photos from family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and members of your community. Join the Hands to Stop CMV photo campaign, "handraise", and submit as many photos as you can to help us raise awareness of congenital CMV.
Need to upload multiple hand photos?
Compress your hand photos into a zipped file folder and email to hands@stopcmv.org. Be sure your photos are resized to less than 2 MB each and please note the registered user's email address!
Upload Photos
Upload your hand photos and view submissions to the Hands to Stop CMV Photo Campaign...
To submit a photo, visit Stop CMV's website at www.stopcmv.org. You will use a photo uploader which will store your photo in a database.
How do I know that you've received my entry?
After you submit your photograph(s), you will receive confirmation from Stop CMV.
How many photos may I submit?
There is no limit to individual submissions.
I'm not a U.S. resident. Can I still participate?
Yes.
Do photos have to be taken with a digital camera?
Submitted photos do NOT have to be digital photos from a digital camera. Any digital scan will work, as long as the end result is a .jpg or jpeg file.
When I submit a photo to the website, what rights does Stop CMV have to my submission?
Stop CMV will have the nonexclusive, perpetual right to use your image in connection with the contest and promotion of the contest, highlighting entries or winners of the contest, and in any media now or hereafter known.
I accidentally uploaded the wrong photo. Can I delete my entry and submit a new photo?
Yes. You are able to log in and delete your photo. You are welcome to submit new photos at any time.
I can't remember which photographs I've already submitted. Can you tell me which of my photographs you've received?
After logging in, you can view your entries.
Are release forms required when submitting a photograph?
By submitting a photograph, you warrant that you are the owner of the image, that you alone own the copyright, and that you have obtained any necessary third-party releases. If your photograph is selected as a winner of the contest, you may be asked to submit a release. Please do not send any releases unless we've asked you to.
Why won't my images upload?
Make sure your images meet the following requirements:
* JPG or JPEG file format (ex. YourImage.jpg or YourImage.jpeg)
* Total file size must be under 2 MB
2011 Handraising Campaign winner
Brandi Costa
Brandi Costa is the mother of Gabriel, born with congenital CMV. According to Brandi, Gabriel is "amazing! He is our hero! I've never seen a human being demonstrate such strength! He has to be the happiest baby I've ever come across! We have him in every therapy possible...It can definitely be exhausting, but I know it will benefit him in the long run! ...We've been told not to expect him to smile...but he smiles and laughs hysterically! Been told he won't talk...but he coos! That may not be words, but that will come next! Been told he won't walk...but he can roll over on his own. Next will come crawling and then walking! No, seriously, however our son develops, he will always be our son and we will accept him for whoever he will be! God wanted him here on this earth for a reason. He's been such a blessing to us in so many ways already, has had Drs scratching their heads in amazement, and will continue to touch people's lives as long as he lives! Here's to our little hero, Gabe! -Heb. 11:1
2010 Hands to Stop CMV Awareness Campaign winners
Brittany Godbee - Judge's winner
The Hands to Stop CMV guest judges were Andrea Dunham, the Creative Director at Women's Health magazine, and Luke Duval, Fashion, Beauty, and Celebrity Photographer.
Brittany is a professional photographer and took this photo of a friend, Jessica, holding her young daughter.
On November 27th, 2009, Brittany and her husband, Joe, lost their infant daughter to CMV. Baby Riley was diagnosed with CMV when Brittany was 25 weeks pregnant. Shortly after the diagnosis, Riley began receiving in-utero blood transfusions to keep her stable. The virus (CMV) had drastically reduced her blood count and made her anemic. Riley was born prematurely by emergency c-section at 29 weeks following a PUBS procedure. The family underwent the procedure five times previously to try and keep Riley's blood counts up and combat the virus. Shortly after birth, Riley's heart could no longer function and she passed away.
In December of 2009, the Godbee's decided to start a project to raise awareness of Cytomegalovirus. The CMV Awareness project is run with help of family and friends in honor of Riley Shae Godbee.
Kylie Howarth - Public voting winner
Kylie's daughter, Jenna, was lost to congenital CMV in 2009.
"When I was sixteen years old I became pregnant. It wasn't something I had planned, but I was going to embrace it because I loved my daughter the moment I knew she existed. At about five months gestation, the doctors told us something was wrong with my baby. They could see a number of things wrong on the ultrasound and after doing an amniocentesis and blood work, they diagnosed it as CMV. They gave me no hope that she would survive. About three weeks later, I went in for a routine ultrasound and there was no heartbeat. Jenna Hope was stillborn on June 23rd, 2009. Not a day goes by where I don't think of her. I miss her more than anything but I know that this was all part of God's plan even though I may never fully understand it. I know that He is taking care of her until I can see her again and she doesn't suffer in heaven. That comforts me. I want to spread the word about CMV, in Jenna's honor, so that no family has to endure this kind of pain." - Kylie, Arizona
