Sometimes, love looks like a man in a pink tutu standing in the middle of Times Square. Or lying in the snow. Or leaping across the desert. At first glance, it may seem absurd—funny, even. But behind each of these whimsical photographs is a story of profound courage, and love.
That story belongs to Bob and Linda Carey.
In 2003, Linda Carey was diagnosed with breast cancer. As anyone who has faced such news knows, the journey ahead was riddled with fear, uncertainty, and countless hospital visits. At the time, Bob, a professional photographer, coped with the helplessness he felt the only way he knew how—through art. But what he created was far from the typical expression of grief or concern. (Image below & source: Lewes Ferry. Lewes, Delaware – Cape May, New Jersey. TheTutuProject.com)
Bob donned a pink tutu—no shirt, barefoot—and began photographing himself in public places. At first, it was just a personal, light-hearted project meant to lift Linda’s spirits. She would giggle at the images from her hospital bed, sharing them with fellow patients and nurses. And something unexpected happened. Laughter echoed down those sterile corridors. People smiled. People connected.
The tutu became a symbol. Not just of Bob’s love for Linda, but of how vulnerability, humour, and a touch of absurdity can become powerful tools for healing. (Image below & source: Brandenburger Tor. Berlin, Germany. 2013. TheTutuProject.com)
What began as an intimate gesture between husband and wife grew into The Tutu Project—a global movement to support those affected by breast cancer. The photographs, at once hilarious and moving, captured hearts around the world. Each image invites you to laugh, pause, and think. And more importantly, it opens up a conversation—one about love, illness, and the many ways we show up for the people we care about.
The Careys decided to use the attention they were receiving to make a real difference. In 2012, they established The Carey Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing financial support to women diagnosed with breast cancer. The funds raised through sales of the photographs, calendars, and public donations help cover the often-overlooked costs of cancer—transport, childcare, wigs, prosthetics, counselling, and even utility bills.
Bob Carey’s images are humorous, yes—but there’s something deeply vulnerable about them too. A middle-aged man, alone in the landscape, stripped of everything but a bright pink tutu—it’s both ridiculous and profoundly human. Each photograph carries its own quiet narrative: a man surrendering his pride for the woman he loves; a family refusing to let cancer define their story; a couple choosing joy in the face of fear.
As Bob himself once said, “It’s not about the tutu. It’s about the hope.”
And that’s what The Tutu Project represents at its core. Hope. The kind that wears pink and dances barefoot across a subway platform. The kind that doesn’t pretend everything’s fine, but chooses laughter anyway.
Linda Carey, too, became a force behind the project. Living with metastatic breast cancer, she brought honesty and compassion to every aspect of the foundation’s work. She wasn’t just the inspiration—she was the heartbeat. Her strength and vulnerability helped shape the emotional landscape of the project, reminding us that living with cancer is not just about survival, but about living fully, unapologetically, and with purpose.
Their journey has touched millions, and the images continue to travel far and wide—gracing gallery walls, online platforms, hospital wards, and the pages of books. Each tutu moment is a reminder that healing isn’t just found in medicine, but in art, love, laughter, and connection.
As of today, The Tutu Project remains a tribute to what we can build from pain—an imprint of strength, joy, and ridiculous pink tulle. Bob continues to photograph and speak about their journey, while the foundation works tirelessly to ease the burdens of those navigating life with breast cancer.
And perhaps that’s the lesson we all need now and then—that love, in its boldest and bravest form, doesn’t always look the way we expect. It reminds us that sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do for someone is simply to be there. To show up.Sometimes, it looks like a man in a tutu standing in the rain, reminding the world that no one fights alone.
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