Last spring, I boarded a West-Jet plane to San Diego and was taken back by the MOST amazing smile welcoming me on board. The flight attendant’s smile was so infectious and I found myself smiling as I walked to my seat. To make a long story short, I ended up chatting with this lovely woman and found out her story. She had breast cancer and had to have a double mastectomy. With the power of Facebook, we became fast friends and I asked her if she would model for my “Scars Project”.

This brave, strong, courageous and beautiful woman bared her heart and soul to me during the photoshoot. I will never forget being part of something so pure and beautiful. That day, I was moved to do something on a larger scale. We agreed we wanted to share the experience she had during the photoshoot and create this beautiful event for women who have gone through breast cancer. Collectively and passionately, we poured our hearts and souls into this event and our ultimate hope is to redefine the way people see beauty.

I want these photos to represent love for yourself and for your SCARS regardless of what that means for each and everyone of you. The scars represent incredible and brave women are representing the journey they have been forced by cancer to follow.

Breast Cancer a disease that doesn’t discriminate but will steal from your body anything and everything that gets in its way. It steals your womanhood, it steals your dreams, your hopes, and it can steal your heart. Breast Cancer can leave you feeling hopeless, but these ladies are here to tell you there is hope and there is a community out there that will hold you until your tears stop flowing, a community that will, on your darkest days, give you so much love, comfort and advice, you will believe in hope again until you know it’s going to be ok!

The warriors in these photos are representing strength, bravery and a newfound appreciation for every single sunrise and sunset and they want you to know you will get through your battles too.

SCARS ARE BEAUTIFUL because they represent what a person has gone through and what they have become. Live your life, everyday like it’s a gift, and you won’t ever regret it.

This post is to honor World Cancer Day and to celebrate the bravest of the brave.  Thank you ALL for your incredible inspiration.