Talia Castellano's Father, Marc Winthrop, Is Fulfilling Her Wish To Find Cure For Pediatric Cancer: What Is Band Of Parents? [VIDEO]
Her positive spirit and encouraging attitude left an impact on not just her family, but on the rest of the world. YouTube makeup guru. Talia Castellano, 13, didn't let her cancer stop her from pursuing her dreams and inspiring others.
"Having cancer has been an amazing yet horrible journey," she said. "Yet every journey has an end."
Talia passed away on July 16, at 11:22 a.m, after battling neuroblastoma.
Now her father, Marc Winthrop, has found volunteer organization Band of Parents, which helps to fund research for new therapies for neuroblastoma. "At that moment, our founding members realized they could make a difference and a short time later, about 100 families of children in treatment for neuroblastoma came together to form The Band of Parents," says the organization's website.
Winthrop says that one of his own pet projects will be getting world-class care for all children, regardless of their parents' insurance statuses or income.
Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer that develops from immature nerve cells. The cancer cells mutate and multiply out of control. The initial genetic mutation that causes neuroblastoma is still unclear at the moment.
Winthrop has used his tragedy and turned it into a positive motive to help find a cure for neuroblastoma. He wants for children everywhere to be able to get the best care, regardless of their income status or regardless of insurance.
He also plans to advocate for more research in order to understand and treat this deadly disease; he believe that the only way to do this is with more funds. "The biggest thing I've done is pulled together parent groups and made very significant grants to Memorial Sloane-Kettering for Neuroblastoma," he told the Daily News.
"Talia left her handprionts and footprings on the world," said her sister Mattia in a YouTube video after Talia had passed away.