Supportive. Strong. Friendly. Courageous. Caring. 

When I left this photo session, I sat in my car as tears started to form. I felt like I had known these amazing women for years when it had only just been for about an hour or so. This photo session was proof that I love what I do and I’m so thankful and grateful that I can provide memories that people can cherish for a lifetime.

A few months ago, I received a call from a client who wanted to discuss a special photo session that would feature girlfriends. She told me a story about a woman she knew who had quite an incredible story of friendship. It was the story of Jen and Maikki who, on December 19, 2014, were bonded through a living donor transplant and the term “Liver Sisters” was born.

“Barely stepping into her 30s, Maikki was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and then Cholangiocarcinoma. But the bottom line was pretty clear: bile duct cancer was a killer, and intensive chemotherapy, radiation, brachytherapy, and a liver transplant was the only path ahead. Little did Jen and Maikki realize how narrow the path would get, or the adventure of both hilarity and pain they would have to trudge through. Just as no one can predict a diagnosis of such magnitude, there are no warnings as to how empowered a person can become and how the power of relationships can bend the universe and change the course of life and open your eyes to just how bad you’ve been dying to truly go live.”

After hearing their story, I was put in touch with Jen so that we could plan the photo session. They wanted to include some of their closest girlfriends. One of my first questions was, “What do you and your girlfriends like to do?” I didn’t want this photo session to be overly posed. I wanted to capture the true essence of their friendship. Jen told me that they like to hang out, laugh, drink wine, share stories … they sounded like just my kind of people. After going back and forth about timing, dates, and locations, we ended up securing a date at one of the girlfriend’s restaurants, AYSE Meze Lounge in downtown Frederick, since it was a unique, beautiful location.

The hour or so that I spent with them was full of smiles, hugs, laughter, snuggles, stories … to witness their incredible friendship was something for which I will always be grateful. It made me hope that I can plan to see my girlfriends more often. It made me hope that every woman gets to experience a type of friendship like this. It made me hope that one day my daughter will have a special bond like this with her girlfriends. To capture their love and support for not only Maikki who is currently undergoing chemotherapy but also each other is something that I will never forget. 

Their friendship is full of love, laughter, and support … a strong combination that creates quite the unbreakable bond.

“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”