‘At times I would be in tears seeing what these families have to face. But this was a gorgeous day during a weekend jaunt to the countryside’

Defying the Myth is a project about three different families headed by single mothers who are the primary carers of children living with disabilities. I wanted to shine a light on these intelligent, courageous women, and how this role affects their day-to-day – and the less known side of the story: how it affects their other children who have no special needs. It’s been a decade-long project, and I have come to admire each family so much and love them like my own.

Maria, the child in the picture, has Down syndrome and is autistic. When she was six weeks old they found out her intestines were not working, so they were removed and she has had a colostomy bag ever since. I was there during a more recent five-hour surgery to remedy a further complication. Miraculously, she recovered brilliantly.