The girls took part in this shoot for the Today show. Photo: Lora Scantling

Photographer Lora Scantling, who is based in Oklahoma, captured the gut-wrenching image of Rheann Franklin, Ainsley Peters and Rylie Hughey, hugging each other tightly with their eyes shut, united by their inspiring battle against the disease.

Photo: Lora ScantlingSource:Supplied

A year later the girls got back together for a follow-up photoshoot to celebrate the fact they are all in remission.

This became an annual tradition, and in their most recent snap, Rheann, now nine, Ainsley, seven, and Rylie, six, hold up a large gold ribbon — the symbol for child cancer — in order to spread awareness of the disease.

The girls got together again this year to celebrate beating cancer. Photo: Lora ScantlingSource:Supplied

Lora explained: “We love being able to do them each year because it gets people talking about childhood cancer awareness and is getting it more attention, which is desperately needed as childhood cancer only gets about four per cent funding, and that needs to be way higher.”

She told Good Housekeeping how the original photo was inspired by her stepdad’s losing battle with lung cancer.

“I wanted to do something that would make a difference and speak a thousand words, and decided to do childhood cancer because I also have a friend who had lost her baby boy to cancer,” said Lora.

In the photo taken a year after the girls were given the all clear, their eyes are open wide and sparking, symbolising that they were looking ahead to a bright future.

All three girls are still cancer free, though Rheann, right, has lifelong side affects from the chemo and radiation. Photo: Lora ScantlingSource:Supplied

They did another shoot for the Today show last year, in which the brave trio victoriously held up their original portrait.

The girls have remained close since first coming together, helping raise one another’s spirits during tough times.

Speaking about this year’s photo, Lora said: “All three girls are still cancer free, though Rheann has lifelong side affects from the chemo and radiation — she cannot grow hair, has stricted growth, low muscle tone and kidney failure.

“Despite all that she is an extremely happy little girl.”

She added that she plans to continue this tradition throughout their lives, so that they never forget the hard fought battle that they won together.

Scantling and the girls’ parents have also become close and keep in touch regularly.

Photo: Lora ScantlingSource:Supplied

This story was originally posted on The Sun.