An intimate evening with Anna and Jordan Rathkopf, an award-winning photography duo who will share their family’s deeply personal story captured in their upcoming book HER2: The Diagnosed, The Caregiver, and Their Son. These photographs not only document the individual and shared struggles but also reveal moments of unexpected joy, hope, and connection as they redefined the experience of surviving cancer while raising their young son. A special guest, Magdalena Lombardi Plasilova, Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, will discuss the intersection of art and science, focusing on patient experiences, early detection, and survivorship.
After Anna, a Czech immigrant living in New York for the past 18 years, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer at age 37, she and Jordan turned their cameras inward. Their dual perspectives, through self-portraits and images of their family, became a way to talk about their grief, fears, and resilience, providing a means to confront the illness together.
Their story has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, and honored by the International Photographic Council at the United Nations. HER2: The Diagnosed, The Caregiver, And Their Son is a powerful visual journey that explores how they used photography to open up conversations about the emotional and physical challenges they faced together and alone while navigating cancer as a family.
The Rathkopfs’ work has received international recognition. Beyond their own story, they have dedicated their careers to amplifying the voices of others facing health challenges, advocating for health equity, and pushing for a more inclusive representation of illness in media. Jordan recently founded the Patient Caregiver Artist Coalition to further this mission.
Published by Daylight Books, HER2 is available online for purchase. A limited number of copies will be available for purchase at the event.
Free and open to the public. Suggested donation $10. Seats are limited, on first-come first-served basis. RSVP online through Eventbrite.
About
ANNA RATHKOPF, raised in Prague and shaped by the city’s historic architecture, Anna learned the art of light and composition from her uncle, Pavel Hecko, a renowned Eastern European photographer. As an immigrant, her experience in New York has taught her the importance of curiosity, empathy, and community support, all of which were reinforced by her cancer diagnosis in 2016. The act of capturing her own healing and family through photography became a profound form of communication during their hardest moments.
JORDAN RATHKOPF, born and raised in Brooklyn, Jordan’s background in marketing, PR, and experimental music composition informs his storytelling approach to photography. His work emphasizes structure while remaining open to the unexpected moments that capture the essence of human experience. Jordan is also the founder of the Patient Caregiver Artist Coalition, advocating for more authentic and inclusive representations of illness in visual storytelling.
MAGDALENA LOMBARDI PLASILOVA, MD, PhD, a native of the Czech Republic, earned her medical degree from Charles University in Prague, followed five years later by a doctorate in stem cell physiology and pathophysiology. She completed research fellowships at Cleveland Clinic's Taussig Cancer Center and at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and a breast surgery fellowship at Yale New Haven Health's Smilow Cancer Hospital in Connecticut. She is currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Plasilova brings over 20 years of experience in research and treatment and is known for her compassionate approach to oncology, especially in addressing the needs of younger patients and supporting survivors in their long-term recovery.
This event is organized by the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences, New York Chapter, with the support of the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association.