As many of you may know, a dear friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Paulina was only 32 years old and had just given birth to her second child. She underwent a mastectomy, removal of lymph nodes and chemotherapy. Throughout her journey of treatment and recovery, I was humbled and awed by her strength, resolve and courageous spirit. The SCAR Project was inspired by Paulina and countless others who have fought this battle.

I started shooting this project in Sydney just before I left for NY, where I am currently. I’ll be doing an exhibition and perhaps a book. My goal is to raise money for research, increase awareness and hopefully present a series of images that will challenge the traditional perceptions of this disease. The images portray the strength, beauty and dignity of these survivors.

I’m currently looking for subjects to shoot (as well as people who might like to be involved). If you know someone who you think might be interested, please tell them about this project. Each woman can present herself to the camera in a way that expresses her experience, her scars and her reality. She can face the camera or turn away. Smile, stare, scream, laugh or cry… I hope this will be an amazing experience for everyone involved. Each step will bring us closer to the ultimate goal of finding a cure.