An Arkansas woman marked the beginning of her battle with breast cancer with a photo shoot that has captured hearts worldwide.
In the touching photographs, Charlie Johnson sits in front of a mirror in a pink dress while her husband, Kelsey, takes a set of clippers to her head, shaving off her curly blonde hair. She was diagnosed with cancer last April.
Photographer Mandy Parks shared the series on her official Facebook page, along with a heartwarming caption.
“I don’t know who needs to see this today … Show them what strength looks like. Let them know they are not alone,” Parks wrote.
“Stand by them as they kick this like the warrior they are! Thank you to Charlie Johnson and Kelsey Johnson for allowing me to capture the pain, beauty and bravery it took to spread this message.”
By the end of the shoot, Johnson can be seen with a buzzed head and wearing a pair of pink boxing gloves. In one photo, her husband is crying and, in another, holding her gloved hand.
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The idea for the photo shoot came organically, Parks explained to People.
“We started talking about doing this photo shoot and I said, ‘Why don’t you be the one who takes your hair, not cancer?’ Luckily, Charlie had the same vision in her mind,” she said.
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It’s clear that her story has touched many people. The comments section on Parks’ page has blown up with users relating to her experience.
“My daughter asked me to shave her head when the chemo she was on caused her hair to fall out,” one person wrote. “It was one of the hardest things that I have ever done.”
Another commented: “Wow, I just sobbed looking at these. What a beautiful woman inside and out… I love her husband’s raw, emotional support.”
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“There is a community of strangers crying and praying and love you, dear two,” a Facebook user shared. “Your hearts stand as an indelible image for everyone fighting something hard and choosing to face it with brave determination and courage.”
Speaking to Channel 7, Parks said that Johnson is still working as an overnight nurse at Christus St. Michael in Gillham, Arkansas.
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