When Andrea Sierra Salazar began to lose her hair following her cancer treatment she was terrified of being seen in public without a wig.
โBefore chemotherapy I had always been a confident person,โ she said, โso when my hair started to fall out I would look in the mirror and I wouldnโt feel that confident about myself.โ
The 17-year-old model was diagnosed with stage 2 nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma after finding a lump in her neck. While she enjoyed experimenting with various wigs, she was hesitant to do a photoshoot without any hair.
โ[At first] I didnโt feel confident enough to do a version without a wig,โ she told Buzzfeed, โbut then I realised that I had no reason to be ashamed of the way I looked, I should be proud.
โIโve learned that the hair on someoneโs head doesnโt define who they are as a person, but their actions and the way they treat others.โ
The photographer behind the gorgeous photoshoot, Gerardo Garmenda, said Andrea is a great example of determination.
โAndrea loves modeling and wanted to have a shoot showing that no matter what you go through in life, beauty lies within,โ he said.
The Texas-native hopes her story will inspire other young girls with cancer to remain confident.
โAll girls are princesses, and today I feel beautiful inside and out,โ she said.
โThank you to everyone who has shown love and support, you have made this experience a lot easier and worth while!โ
What a womanโ redefining beauty for us all.
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda
Image via Gerardo Garmenda