Three years ago, six-year-old Rheann, three-year-old Rylie and four-year-old Ainsley closed their eyes and embraced each other in what would become one of the most viral photos of 2014.

The stunning portrait of three young cancer heroes was taken by photographer Lora Scantling. Her own stepfather was losing his battle with lung cancer, which inspired her to "do something that spoke a thousand words that would draw attention," she tells The Huffington Post.

Scantling posted a request for models on Facebook which was responded to by the parents of three very special little girls who were battling childhood cancer.

Before the shoot, none of them had met, but they quickly became friends. It obviously showed in the beautiful, tender moment they shared together.

Every year since, the girls have come together to pose for a portrait. Now, all three of them are cancer-free!

This year, Scantling posted the most recent series of photographs and they are just as inspiring as their first!

The girls have come such a long way in their battles against cancer, and their spirits are stronger than ever. During the photo shoot, they talked about cancer and their own strength:

Rheann said, "Cancer is like a dragon," to which Ainsley responded, "Yeah, and chemo is the prince."Added Rylie: "Cancer messed with the wrong princesses!"

Darn right it did!

If you would like to contribute to the battle against childhood cancer in America please visit The American Childhood Cancer Organization to learn more.

[Source: Huffington Post / Scanling Photography]