Monique wears t-shirt by Eastpak, boxing gloves model’s own, shorts by Criminal Damage, tights by Aristoc

Fashion wise, dying is a totally lame look, so thank God technology is here to keep us alive. Thanks to the technology that saved their lives all of these people are still hot and living, not dead and green. Right now health care is free over here, which is great because we all get to look un-mutilated no matter how many car crashes we’re in, but the private health care world is growing. As they start raking in cash for operations they’ll probably start advertising, preying on our urges to stay looking good, feeling young, and alive, then maybe health care will be marketed more like the fashion and beauty industries. In which case these guys will be their poster children…

MONIQUE
When I was younger I had ganglioneuroblastoma. It’s a kind of cancer. It was in my spine and it spread around my body. I had radiotherapy, radiation, and chemotherapy. I was about four-and-a-half at the time. I don’t really remember much about it, but I was in hospital for months.

James wears hat and jeans by American Apparel, polo shirt by Duck and Cover, and socks model’s own

JAMES ELLIS
I had cancer when I was 14. it affected the lymph nodes in the glands in my neck. I had chemotherapy to treat it at the Royal Marsden. It was a specific childcare unit for kids with cancer, it was pretty cool. I had a few operations too, but they were just standard. It was mainly the chemotherapy that sorted it.

Olga wears t-shirt by Bench, shorts by Levi’s, tights by Pretty Polly, and trainers by Converse

OLGA BOKHAN

I was diagnosed with chronic ulceration of the stomach and had severe internal bleeding, was vomiting  coffee bean colour puke, my oesophagus was inflamed, I had anaemia, a low blood cell count, and hair-loss. They gave me iron tablets, put me on a drip for the dehydration, I really enjoyed the feel of the drip running through my veins and you feel reborn after the blood transfusion.

Edward wears jacket by Fred Perry, shirt by Firetrap, T-shirt by American Apparel, jeans by Lee, socks model’s own, and trainers by Vans

EDWARD
I am a type 1 diabetic. So my body can’t process sugar. I have to inject every time I eat and every time I go to bed. The injections help stabilise my blood sugar levels. I became diabetic when I was 14. It used to be a hassle using syringes, but now I can just use insulin pens and an electronic blood tester. It’s all a lot easier now.

Viktoria wears dress by Topshop, tights by Pretty Polly, and shoes model’s own

VIKTORIA
I had 9 operations to correct the nerves damaged in my leg, preventing it from growing fast enough. All those corrective surgeries eventually contributed to my leg becoming completely withered by the age of 15. So I decided the best thing to do would be to get rid of it altogether, the prosthetics make my life so much easier; I have all sorts of shoes now, high heels and everything.

PHOTOS: JAMIE TAETE
WORDS: BRUNO BAYLEY
STYLIST: KYLIE GRIFFITHS