Final Tribute to Cancer Cover Girl –Margot Ferron

More than 1,000 sticky notes with messages covered my red, Honda CRV at National Night Out in Mission Viejo, CA in August.   I knew teens, tweens and adults loved Talia Joy, but I just didn’t know how many.

The messages left by so many young people will be forever etched in my heart and memories.

Today, Sun., August 18 would have been Talia’s 14th birthday.   There is a tribute at 7:30 pm at the Northland Church on Longwood, Fla.   Talia Joy Castellano bravely fought neuroblastoma for six and a half years.

After she lost her hair she refused to wear a wig.  One of her mother’s friends, a cancer survivor, encouraged her to experiment with makeup.  Castellano then started taping herself giving makeup tutorials and posted them on YouTube.  

 She became known as the “professional, YouTube Makeup Guru” with one video getting more than 8 million views, others reached more than 500,000 hits.  In August 2012, her cancer spread to her bones and she developed pre-leukemia.

The memorial tribute will include a song written and performed by the Gospel Boys, video tributes from TV celebrities Ryan Seacrest, Kylie and Kendall Jenner.  The Bald Chick Collection which she developed with Los Angeles designer Urbana Chappa for tweens and teens will be showcased.

By the way if you happen to be able to attend, Talia specifically told her family she wants people to wear bright colors.  Weeks before she died she detailed her wishes for a funeral to her family. “No black and no purple.”

Talia's wishes to increase awareness of childhood cancer and raise money for Orlando's   BASE Camp Children’s Cancer Foundation are be carried on by MAttia, her 19 year old sister.   Later you will be able to get information at www.taliastribute.com.   

In case you missed National Night Out, here are some photos of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Mission Viejo’s salute to Talia.  We also gave out free hugs.