In a heartwarming reminder of resilience and friendship, three little girls from Oklahoma have come together once again to celebrate their bond and their victory over cancer.
Rheann Franklin, aged 11, Ainsley Peters, aged 9, and Rylie Hughey, aged 8, initially met for a touching photo in 2014 while undergoing cancer treatments. Their heartwarming photo went viral, capturing the hearts of people worldwide.
Today, all three girls are cancer-free, and they recently reunited with Oklahoma photographer Lora Scantling to recreate their beloved picture. Their annual reunion serves as a reminder of the challenging journey they’ve endured and inspires other children facing similar battles.This year, they were joined by their new friend, Connor Lloyd, aged 4, who was part of last year’s photo. Connor is currently undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Rylie had one kidney removed and a portion of the other taken out during her treatment for stage 4 bilateral Wilms tumors when she was 2 years old. Today, she is an active second-grader involved in dance, gymnastics, and softball. Her mother, Bridget Hughey, shared that the most precious thing to come from this experience is watching Rylie’s faith grow and mature, along with her boundless love for those around her.
Though the girls are cancer-free, they are still feeling its effects.
Rheann, who has sprouted up four inches in the past year, has had to start growth hormone treatment as a result of past cancer treatments. She also can no longer grow hair and will always be bald, due to the intense radiation to her skull during her treatments, and her eyes droop due to damage from how the tumor sat on her brain stem.
