When Rhonda Caudill looks back at photos of herself taken during a photoshoot in 2023, after surviving breast cancer, she is still moved to tears.
"It was life changing for me, really," she said.
Caudill was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 2017. What followed were years of physical and emotional pain and frustrating experiences with doctors.
So, when Caudill found out about the Brave Pink Warrior Project, a series of photo sessions for survivors of breast cancer organized by Chicago photographer Monika Demel, Caudill's life changed.
"Obviously, when you have something disfiguring happen to you, your self- esteem is affected," she said. "And then I came here and just got treated like a queen for a whole day. And Monika knew exactly what to do to bring out the best in me."
She said she remembers the moment she first saw the raw photos after the shoot.
"I couldn't even believe it was me," she said. "It was amazing."
Caudill said for her, the project's meaning was twofold: a newfound sense of confidence for her and the opportunity to give back to other women undergoing treatment.
"I am not my diagnosis. I am not my prediction, but I'm certainly a different person, and I'm better equipped to look out for myself in the future because of what I've gone through," she said. "And I really hope to give other people that hope, too."
The Brave Pink Warrior Project was born from Monika Demel's own experience being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022.
"I just remember sitting there in the room," she recalled. "I was so distracted, and I felt so hopeless, like, oh my God, if I have this, I just wanted to see other women who have been survivors."
So, Demel decided to use her photography skills to capture photos of breast cancer survivors in hopes of providing hope to other women in the middle of treatment.
At each session, Demel provided the women with makeup and hairstyling, as well as several wardrobe choices, including options for women who both had and had not had reconstruction surgery.
In the end, Demel said she photographed about a dozen women at her studio in Portage Park, each with their own experiences and stories.
"It was interesting not just to photograph these women, but to also hear their stories," she said. "It was a slow dawning for me to realize how serious some of these cases were and how that's it's such a big deal because we're all on a different journey."
She said one of her favorite parts of the project was showing women their photos at the end of the shoot.
Now, Demel is working on securing sponsors to help her create a magazine-style book with the women's portraits to place in oncology and radiation waiting rooms along the North Shore and Chicago.
She said portion of each product sale will go to a fund that helps other women afford various needs that insurance doesn't cover.
"I want them to feel like they can relate to those women and know that there's hope on the other side," Demel said.