Tessa - Portrait of a Survivor

At age 44, former model Tessa Burke has physically and emotionally survived metastatic breast cancer, to the admiration of all who know her. Determined that something positive arise from her experience, she established a support group and with her wealthy businessman husband, Max, created the Foundation for the Cure, raising millions of dollars for cancer research. A few years later, when a recurrence of her disease took her by surprise, she found new strength in holistic therapies and fought on, even as her marriage began to unravel.Now, as the cancer returns yet again, it takes more than Tessa is willing to give when her lower left arm must be amputated to save her life. Faced with permanent disfigurement and a life-changing physical handicap, Tessa questions all she believes about herself, her life and her future as her husband commits the ultimate betrayal and she seeks a divorce.It is the worst possible time for photographer Luke James to reappear in her life. Nine years younger and still not over a previous infatuation with Tessa, Luke encounters her at a fund-raising luncheon he is hired to photograph. Although stunned to see her with one arm and to hear of her illness, Luke senses she’s still the same woman inside and realizes she’s the reason he’s been unfulfilled in his relationships so far. However, convincing Tessa that they are meant to be together proves to be a daunting challenge as Tessa is determined to not let another man hurt and reject her. Tessa’s desire to avoid Luke is foiled when he is hired to photograph members of her support group for a “survivor” calendar. But what ultimately binds them is Tessa’s 19-year-old cousin, Chloe, who happens to be Luke’s new studio assistant but who is also shockingly diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. As they fight to save Chloe, Tessa and Luke face the greatest challenge within themselves as they must confront their own fears and uncertainties about the future of their relationship.