YouTube Star Talia Joy Castellano Dies Of Cancer, Age 13

(Newser)
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A 13-year-old girl who won a massive following on YouTube with her makeup tutorials and wise-beyond-her-years perspective on her cancer has died, reports the Huffington Post. Talia Joy Castellano’s YouTube channel had more than 770,000 subscribers by the time of her death today. She appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’ show in September, and Cover Girl even made her an honorary cover girl. Tributes are pouring in to her Facebook page.

Talia battled Neuroblastoma for more than half her life, and Xeni Jardin at Boing Boing quotes from her last video on the subject, in May. “It’s adding up,” she said of intensive treaments that were taking a toll mentally and physically. “I’m not planning anything. I’d rather be in the hospital, comfortable, with my pain under control, than be at home in pain and uncomfortable. I feel safer here right now, and I think my anxiety is telling me I should stay right now.” Adds Jardin: “This cancer patient, who is much older but no wiser, can empathize.”