Thomas Lekfeldt, Denmark
The enemy within
It’s one of the carefree moments in her life: 6-year-old Vibe takes a shower, spraying water all over the floor. A scene that many parents might know, but for Vibe and her family such moments have become very rare. Vibe has a brain tumor, one of the most common types of cancer in children. In Denmark, about 40 children are diagnosed with a brain tumor every year.
For one year now, Vibe has received chemotherapy and radiation treatments against her cancer. As a result of the radiation, her long blond hair has fallen out while her body is bloated due to the numerous drugs she has had to take.
Nevertheless, she enjoys being held by her father for hours; or playing with her healthy twin sister; or spending time on holiday in Mallorca. In January 2009, after a two-year struggle, Vibe lost the fight against the tumor.
Curriculum Vitae: Thomas Lekfeldt
He completed a bachelor's degree in photojournalism at the Danish School of Journalism in 2007. He currently works freelance for Danish and international press and is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
In Denmark he primarily works for the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet. He has had his work published in The FADER Magazine, Le Monde 2, L'Espresso Magazine, Verdens Gang and Libération among others.
He has won awards in the New York Photo Awards, Best of Photojournalism, the Danish Picture of the Year and Eisa Maestro Photo Contest. He is represented by Moment Agency.