Cave Creek Dad helps others ‘Capture a Smile’
Sean Haines dedicates photo equipment in memory of his late son.
Staff reports

VALLEY – Some pictures are worth a thousand words. Others are worth thousands of dollars.

While others are absolutely priceless.

Just ask Cave Creek resident Sean Haines.

This Jan. 21 marks the two‑year anniversary his eight‑year‑old son Matthew lost his battle with cancer.

Like many children suffering from cancer, Matthews spent much of his life in the hospital and despite the pain and suffering, there were happy moments and milestones.

“I wish I had taken photos. I don’t have those memories” in photographs, the 40‑year‑old Haines told The Desert Advocate.

Because of his experience, Haines wanted to make certain other families whose children are hospitalized for cancer treatments are able to have their special moments captured on paper. He developed and donated to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital a program called “Capture a Smile.”  The program consists of three laptop computers and print docking stations which serve as photo‑editing and photo‑sharing kiosks.

The mobile kiosks allow children and their family and friends to capture the happy moments amid the difficult and depressing times of cancer treatment.

Haines recalled his son’s last 40 days in the hospital–a painful invasive surgery coupled with a bone marrow transplant that left the boy “extremely depressed.”

The father of another boy who died of cancer delivered for Christmas “a ton of presents,” which turned Matthew’s mood around.

Haines said that moment inspired him to spread some joy for others in the wake of Matthew’s death.

Last year he and others delivered Christmas gift baskets to the children undergoing treatment.

Among the items in the baskets were disposable cameras.

And that is when the idea to create the photo kiosks crystallized for Haines.

“You don’t think when you take your kid to the hospital to take a camera,” he said.

In addition to creating photographs, the mobile kiosks let young patients in medical isolation to stay in touch with friends via the Internet. In some cases, the computers allow them to keep up with their school work.

Haines and his wife Debbie made the contribution to Children’s Hospital on Dec. 22.