Women With Cystic Fibrosis Are Fearless And Gorgeous. Just Look At These Photos.
(Photo: Ian Pettigrew)
Imagine having a disease that often leaves you breathless. It’s difficult to keep weight on. Your skin tastes salty. You’re inflamed. You’re incurable. But fully clothed, you look just fine.
And then you’re approached to be the subject as a photography project.
(Photo: Ian Pettigrew)
Ian Pettigrew, Ontario-based fashion photographer, was behind the lens. The subjects are women with cystic fibrosis (CF), and the end product is a striking photo series titled ‘Salty Girls.’ He photographed 60 women, between ages 20 and 40, wearing swimsuits, revealing outfits, or no clothes at all. Half the women photographed have had — or are waiting for — a double lung transplant.
(Photo: Ian Pettigrew)
“Everyone is a bit shy at first, even without CF most people are slightly reticent. And on paper, it does sound a bit awkward how I initially proposed the project: A strange photographer from Canada wants to meet you in a hotel and take your photo in a bikini. That was a bit of a tough sell at first. But once there, and the project really started to gain some steam, most reactions were ‘Now I own this!’” Perrigrew told Yahoo Health.
There’s more to the story, though — Pettigrew has a vested interest.
(Photo: Ian Pettigrew)
When he was 38, Pettigrew was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis himself, and realized people were shocked that adults could also got CF. “This is still very much an uphill battle, and that’s what I want to shine a light on. The battle isn’t over, and this is not just a childhood disease. With more awareness comes, hopefully, increased donations and one day a cure,” says Pettigraw.
As a portrait and fashion photographer he turned to his camera, and photographed people living with the disease. His first book, Just Breathe featured a photo series of adults with cystic fibrosis. What he realized after, however, was that women weren’t well represented in the CF Community.
(Photo: Ian Pettigrew)
A side effect of cystic fibrosis: Body shaming. A big goal of Perrigrew’s project was to support women with CF who feel uncomfortable in their own skin and who live with body shaming. “Just take a look at the 56 girls in my project so far. See the fearlessness on their faces. It’s inspiring…The CF community is not immune to [bodyshaming]. Kids can be mean —but so can adults. Part of the goal of this project was for the women to take back that power, to make it theirs and own it.”
(Photo: Ian Pettigrew)
The inherited disorder causes severe damage to the lungs and digestive system. Because it thickens the cells that produce digestive juices, mucus, sweat, and bodily fluids, any passageway or organ that uses these fluids can become clogged. Many young adults with cystic fibrosis finish college or find jobs, but the disease eventually worsens to the point where the person is disabled. Today, the average life span for people with CF who live to adulthood is about 37 years, according to the National Institute of Health.
(Photo: Ian Pettigrew)
“Firstly its a fatal, genetic disease — we are born with it,” says Perrigrew. But, “it’s also known as an invisible disease. To the outside observer we must look like a bunch of coughing chain smokers.”
“Lastly, I’d say to those that have CF, or know someone, awareness and research are key. We don’t get all the fancy press like the ALS Ice Bucket or cancer… but we’re hoping Salty Girls changes all that.”
(Photo: Ian Pettigrew)
So far, it’s working: Perrigrew’s project has gone viral, touching thousands of people in the Internet. So what’s his next step? “After the last few days it looks like I may have to do a Salty Girls, Vol.II. I think I may have just officially announced that, so you are the first to find out.”
See all the photos at Perrigrew’s website, Salty Girls.
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