The official website of Lora Scantling reads ‘Oklahoma’s best newborn photographer.’ And the pictures on the website are a testimony to this fact. Her work is brilliant, to say in the least. The little bundles of joy, sometimes with their parents as well as siblings, and some other times with magical props, have been captured in the most awe-inspiring manner.
However, Scantling has gained more fame for another reason. And that is something, we are certain, she would be extremely proud of.
A few years ago, Scantling, unfortunately, lost her father to cancer. Also, one of her very close friend’s one-year-old son succumbed to this deadly disease. This made Scantling believe that she must put her skills to make people more aware of this dreaded disease.
In the spring of 2014, Scantling wrote a Facebook post in which she offered to do a photo shoot of little girls suffering from cancer in her studio in Oklahoma. And sure enough, she got a response from a few families that lived in the vicinity of Oklahoma.
She had three little girls come to her studio, accompanied by their mothers. The first was six-year-old Rheann Franklin, who was suffering from a rare type of brain cancer. The other two were four-year-old Ainsley Peters, who was being treated for leukaemia and three-year-old Rylie Hughey, who was suffering from kidney cancer.
The girls had never met before but their common grief probably connected them and they became very good friends. They had been in and out of hospitals for receiving treatment for this dreaded disease. Scantling dressed them up in beautiful pearls and headbands and shot a photo in which the three girls held each other gently and beautifully.
The poignant picture went viral on social media. People from all over were touched by the beauty of the picture and inquired about the health of the three girls. The picture struck an emotional chord for many others who were suffering from cancer themselves or had family and friends suffering from this disease. And Scantling was asked for more pictures of these girls who were epitomes of strength, beauty, and grace.
Further, many other parents came forth to check whether Scantling could photograph their children who were suffering from cancer. And Scantling readily agreed. She has, since then, photographed in her studio dozens of children with cancer.
Thanks to the overwhelming response to the photos, Scantling has made this photo shoot of the three girls an annual ritual. She ensures that three beautiful girls reunite each year for their photo shoot. Rheann is now 11, Ainsley is 9 and Rylie is 8. And the beautiful part is that the three are cancer free today!
This year, the three girls got together again for their annual photo shoot. And they had a new guest – they were joined by 4-year-old Connon Lloyd, who is suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
In their photo shoot this year, the four fighters have honoured other such fighters who lost their battle to cancer. They posed with a frame of nine other children who passed away recently, succumbing to the disease.
Have a look at the ‘Little Heroes Photo Project’ by Scantling here.
Aren’t these pictures absolutely breathtaking? Do let us know your views.
