Terminal cancer patient, 12, inspires with viral makeup tutorials

Talia Castellano tells 100,000 YouTube subscribers her cancer has spread      

taliajoy18 / YouTube

Talia Castellano shows her viewers how to create "fire eyes" in this video she posted on June 24. Her tutorials have gained a following of more than 100,000 people.

By Rachel Elbaum

TODAY.com contributor

updated 8/9/2012 4:34:08 PM ET

A 12-year-old girl with cancer, who has captivated the Internet with her makeup tutorials over the past year, announced that her cancer has spread to her bone marrow.

Talia Castellano started her YouTube video channel, “Make-up is my wig,” about a year ago and quickly gained a following of more than 100,000 people. She appears in her videos bald, and goes through how to apply different styles of eye shadow and shows off finds from shopping expeditions.
Castellano, who lives in Orlando with her mother, father and older sister, was diagnosed with cancer more than five years ago when she was 7. Since then, she has continued going to school, while still pursuing her interest in makeup, art and dancing.
“I saw other girls making makeup videos on YouTube and thought it would be fun,” Castellano told TODAY.com. “I put one up and ever since then it gotten more and more popular. It’s cool that people are now seeing that fighting cancer is not just about chemo, and that there are different things that help us through the journey. For me that was makeup.”
In the past year, Castellano has posted 150 videos on YouTube, not only talking about makeup, but also bringing awareness to childhood cancer, and promoting the CureSearch Walk. With makeup skills to rival any pro, she artfully applies primer, combines colors and explains which brushes to use when.
In her most recent video, Castellano, who turns 13 on Aug. 18, told her viewers that the cancer has returned and spread to her bone marrow.

          Published on Aug 7, 2012 by taliajoy18

Okay so I have two cancers in my body at once. Well pre leukemia wich is a start of leukemia in my bonemarrow. There are not realy any treatments for it. Its very rare to have neuroblastoma and leukemia at the same time. The doc wanted to do a bonemarow transplan but they said it will be the hardest thing I have done. Also we could do a vacseen. But all of these are very very low chances of me surviving. In the mean time while we wait to find the next step they r puttin me on a low dose of oral chemo to make sure my cancer doeznt grow. The docs gave me the option of doing treatment or dont do the treatment and just live life for the time remaining. Having cancer has been an amzing yet horrible journey but ever journey has an end. Im tired of doing shit to my body, my friends, family, nabers, pets... I will enjoy every minute I have with the world. Docs said maybe a couple mounths to up to a year left of preshious life. I told both parents I dont want them to hold anything bak if u they something tell me. Doesnt mean I aint scard as fu**! I love u guys

“I know it’s a lot to take in. Right now I am leaning to not doing [the treatment] because I don’t want to go through that,” Castellano said haltingly in the video. “The chances of not surviving are fewer than surviving. If we even find a match, if my body rejects it then I am screwed, I went through all that crap for nothing.”
Doctors have told Castellano’s parents that after so many years of treatment, she should make the ultimate decision on how and if she wants to proceed.
“I will support her in whatever she wants to do,” Castellano’s mother Desiree told TODAY.com. “She told me, ‘I know my body,’ and I believe she does.”
Since announcement, scores of supporters have commented on her video, wishing her well.

"Please take solace in the fact that you are NOT going through this alone," wrote Android Ashley. "We're all behind you."

DisneySinger12 wrote: "I look up to you, because I wouldn't know how to deal with a situation like you're in. So, keep going and keep pushing. No matter what you decide to do, just know that we are all here to support you."
Castellano's family is now busy planning her Las Vegas-themed 13th birthday party, complete with showgirls and games tables.
Her parents plan continue in their efforts to raise money in support of cancer research and their own medical bills that have piled up over her many years of treatment. To update friends, family and well wishers on Castellano's progress, the family started a website, AnglesforTalia.com.
"I feel proud that I have accomplished so much on YouTube, have so many people watching and now taking seriously how childhood cancer don’t have enough funding," Castellano told TODAY.com.
Though she is only entering her adolescence, she sounds much older than her nearly 13 years, and she plans to continue making videos as long as she is able.
"The journey of having cancer has been amazing, but every journey has to have an end," she said in the video.
But sounding more like the child that she still is, she also comments: “I'm only 13, I shouldn't have to be doing this...  It’s really not fair for kids to have cancer and it really frickin sucks."