- There are a lot of inspiring women
out there who should be known
and no one ever talks about them.
They should be talked about.
(slow piano music)
- I've always been a fit and active
and very healthy person, but just under a year ago,
I was diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer.
My three children are very different ages.
Telling Ruby was particularly difficult.
- When I first found out that my mum had cancer,
I don't think I was affected that much
or as much as I should have been.
I think my mum kept a very positive nature about her.
She didn't tell us that she was feeling sick and...
She's just so inspiring.
- For me, today represents self-confidence,
self-love, and an attitude of fuck it.
I don't care what anyone else thinks of me.
This is who I am and I'm not afraid to be me
and I hope that Ruby never forgets that.
- Jo has just run at this thing
with so much power and so much tenacity
that it seems only right to create
and turn her into a Wonder Woman today
and we are celebrating life and the fight for life.
I'm really looking forward to capturing this today,
but in particular, for Ruby so that she can
always look back at these photographs
and draw strength and power
from the knowledge that they fought this
and they fought this together and they won.
(slow music)
- [Ruby] My mum talks about beauty being on the inside
rather than the outside a lot.
I know she tries her hardest, but everyone is affected by
all that pressure from society
and the big signs and the big companies
that tell you you have to be beautiful
to be successful really.
- I wanted Ruby to do this shoot
and I thought about doing it probably
when she was a little bit older,
but this opportunity came up.
The past year, going through cancer and chemotherapy
has taught me that you have to learn
in your confidence about yourself
and that really has to come from within
because it's what's in your heart
and your personality that makes you beautiful
and the way you express that is just an expression
and sadly, going through things like cancer
make you find that, but I hope that
most people can find it themselves
without having to go through cancer
and I hope that this sets her up for life
to see her inner strength and beauty.
- [Ruby] I'm very lucky to be able to do this
and not a lot of people can do this.
My mum is definitely a Wonder Woman.
She doesn't need a costume.
She works so hard to make everyone else feel better.
She definitely deserves the label of Wonder Woman.
I'm really excited to capture this moment in time
and remember how beautiful and amazing and strong she is.
(building music)
- [Sasha] Are you ready?
- Yes.
(screams and laughs) (triumphant music)
Oh my god, look at you.
Look at you, you look amazing.
You look so beautiful.
All grown up, so gorgeous, so beautiful.
You are so beautiful.
So so beautiful.
How do you feel?
Speechless (laughs)? - Yeah.
- [Jo] Are you amazed at how gorgeous you look?
- [Ruby] You look gorgeous too.
- [Jo] Thank you.
I feel great.
I feel strong, I feel powerful, and I'm so proud of you.
- [Ruby] For my mum, it's not really much change.
She's always been a Wonder Woman.
- [Jo] Aww.
- I feel so emotional about the whole day
and how amazing it is and how good it is
to be here with my mum.
I feel like the strongest person in the world.
I feel like I could be Wonder Woman.
- This is exactly what I was hoping for.
In fact, it's more than what I was hoping.
To hear Ruby say that she feels so strong
is more important to me than her
saying how beautiful she is,
but just feeling that sense of
empowerment is just fantastic.
I hope today gives you self-love and appreciation
and just (slow piano music)
the strength and the power to be yourself
and just be you because you are amazing
and don't let anyone else tell you
to be anything else but Ruby 'cause Ruby is the best.
- You're where I get all the beauty from.
I think you're already Wonder Woman.
You don't need any hair or makeup at all.
- You're gorgeous.
- My mum has taught me that I shouldn't let anything
stop me from doing what I want to do.
She's taught me that no matter what happens,
I should stay strong and look up
and know that being pushed down
is a lot like a setup for a comeback, really.