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Beautiful photo of three Oklahoma girls with cancer goes viral

Scantling Photography

A photograph of three young girls, each battling a different kind of cancer, is going viral this week.

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The photo, which is captioned "Sometimes strength comes in knowing that you are not alone," captures a tender moment between the girls, all from Oklahoma, who met for the first time at the photo session last week.

Rylie, 3, just beat stage 5 kidney cancer. Rheann, 6, has brain cancer. Ainsley, 4, is fighting a form of leukemia. They quickly bonded on set.

"The girls had a lot of fun, "Rheann's mom, Valeria Franklin, tells KOCO.com. "It was just very moving watching their bond form."

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"I just wanted something that showed the strength and the bond and that they weren't alone," says photographer Lora Scantling.

Scantling, who teamed up with Goodger Photography for the project, hopes the photo will help bring awareness to childhood cancer.

"I have never met three more beautiful little girls in my life! Full of spirit and so happy and strong!" she wrote on Facebook last week.

"I wanted to capture something that would speak a million words in a single portrait. Bringing awareness to childhood cancer holds a special place in my heart."

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"When you think of cancer, you typically think of adults of having cancer. I'm glad that people are seeing that there are a lot of kids out there struggling and fighting," Bridget Hughey, Riley's mother, tells News9.

Since News9 posted the photo on its Facebook wall on Wednesday, it has received more than half a million likes and has been shared more than 133,000 times.

"I think this session tops the list on the most special session I have ever done!!!" Scantling writes.

See another photo from the same session here.