So clearly I’m behind on blogging, because it’s 32° outside & these photos are from a warm day spent frolicking around a wildflower preserve back in September. Here’s the deal though… September through November is insanely busy for photographers. This week I’m catching up & of course I absolutely have to blog this session because the story behind this family’s images is incredible & the Mom is just a warrior.

Michelle was diagnosed with breast cancer back in May, after she found a lump amidst breastfeeding her one-year-old son. She went back & forth with multiple doctors who kept telling her that the lump was “nothing”. But following her intuition, she kept pushing & eventually had a biopsy. The day that the doctor told her it was breast cancer, the immediate course of action was a double mastectomy. Her & her fiancé jumped in whole-heartedly, doing whatever it took to get her better. Concurrently with the surgery, she got tested to find the source of her cancer. That was when Michelle found out that she has a rare gene disorder called Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), which causes multiple cancers in the body. So after her surgeries & treatment have concluded, she will still have to get full body scans for the rest of her life to see if the cancer returns elsewhere.

As if that wasn’t a heavy enough burden to bare, Michelle then found out that her 7-year-old son has LFS too. Like her, he will also have to get tests every year, for the rest of his life, to make sure he doesn’t develop cancer. Thank God his first round was clean & he’s doing great. By great I mean he’s one of the sweetest, cutest little boys I’ve ever met. Michelle is also doing well, having finished chemo & her second reconstruction surgery recently. She continues to raise awareness about cancer, sharing her story & radiating light wherever she goes. Her unwavering faith & light-hearted spirit were not even touched by her tragedy. Michelle- you are truly a beacon of hope & strength. xo