Please support Nico and his annual costume drive to provide new and unused Halloween costumes to sick children at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, Calif. Nico and his family are asking for costumes for ages 6 months to teen, or any Halloween-themed items such as goody bags, decorations, clothing (socks, pajamas, shirts). Gift cards and monetary gifts are also welcomed.

Donations can be dropped off from Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at their family business:

C & C Automotive Collision
860 San Mateo Ave.
San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 873-8372

Nico’s family is asking that all donations be sent by Tuesday, Oct. 25. Items will be delivered to the hospital on Friday, Oct. 28. Click here for more info.

Background

I met Nico when he was six. At the age of five, Nico was diagnosed with brain cancer and underwent surgery to remove a 4½-inch brain tumor, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. He had to relearn how to eat and talk while going to the hospital almost every day for treatment.

During this trying time, he had one wish: to dress up as his favorite superhero, Batman, and celebrate his favorite holiday, Halloween. The doctor gave him the green light to take a day off from treatment to go trick-or-treating, but he was still sad. He wanted to spread the spirit of Halloween with his friends in the hospital who were too ill to go out trick-or-treating by getting them costumes and goodie bags, which he has continued to do every year since.

Check out our Parts 1 and 2 of Nico’s story and find out how you can help him save Halloween from the villains (illnesses that are keeping kids from celebrating this year)!

Part 1: ‘6-year-old Boy with Brain Cancer Brings Halloween to Sick Kids’

Part 2: ‘6-Year-Old Halloween Hero Quadruples Goal’

Update: Great news, Nico’s mom Marlene Castro told me he’s in remission!

Nico learned when you give to the world, you get so much more back. Little did he know, he would inspire many other heroes young and old this important life lesson: caring is sharing. Thanks for using your power to help this Halloween!

Onward and upward,
Toan

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The post Support Child Cancer Survivor’s Halloween Drive for Hospital Kids appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

When you hear about Nico Castro, a courageous 6-year-old boy from Northern California who, despite his battle with brain cancer, brought Halloween to his friends in the hospital, you can’t help but want to use your power to help this real-life superhero.

“Even though he’s worse off than some of these other kids in the hospital, he’s worried about them,” Nico’s mother, Marlene Castro, said. “They can’t go trick or treating and they can’t get candy.”

After Nico was diagnosed with brain cancer last fall, he was worried that he wouldn’t be able to celebrate Halloween, his favorite holiday. Thanks to a break in his treatment, this caped crusader was given the all clear. “He likes being Batman because it covers his bald head. He’s self conscious,” Marlene Castro said, holding back tears.

But the news was bittersweet. Nico was sad his friends in the hospital wouldn’t be able to experience Halloween. “What about the other kids?” he asked Raul Castro, his father. “Can we go to Target and get costumes for the kids?” But with the mounting hospital bills, it was impossible for the family to buy costumes and goodie bags for 50 of his friends at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center.

They came up with an idea: start a costume drive to bring Halloween to the hospital. This Halloween hero’s goal was to collect 50 costumes and goodie bags. Since Go Inspire Go (GIG) is about featuring everyday heroes, leveraging social media to build community and spark civic engagement, we had to tell Nico’s story and multiply his good deed.

Nico’s tight knit community pitched in and was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from viewers around the country. Watch the video that sparked a nationwide movement:

After GIG shared his story, Nico quadrupled his goal and collected more than 200 costumes. Additionally, supporters sent him more than $1,500.

The local and national media have ensued. A producer at NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams called me the day after we uploaded the video. I invited them to join us as we produced a follow up of Nico dropping off costumes to his bed-ridden friends in the hospital. Check out our follow up video:

Garvin Thomas and his local NBC affiliate Bay Area Proud segment contacted me to feature GIG and Nico’s cause.

“I’m so honored to be his mom,” Marlene Castro said. “God really did bless me by making me this little boy’s mother. He adds so much love and so much light to our eyes and it’s great to see that he’s able to touch and impact others lives as well. It’s inspiring for all of us.”

I will always remember the image of Nico walking down the halls of the hospital as he delivered costumes and goodie bags to his sick friends. He put on his sanitary mask — a fire fighter’s costume clenched in one hand, the other clasping his older brother’s hand — my heart sank. But that feeling didn’t last long. As soon as the parents and children saw Nico, their eyes filled with joy and smiles widened. Their spirits were lifted.

Jackie Jumper’s daughter received a witch costume and coloring book from Nico. “It’s all very overwhelming for me,” Jumper said. “It’s overwhelming to be here with Anne, but it’s more overwhelming that a child who is so sick can think of other children at this time and what they need… It’s not just a costume or a coloring book. It’s about children being happy around these wonderful holidays that they enjoy so much. I remember Halloween growing up and it was one of my favorites. It’s just special to these kids… It’s very heartwarming and special for him to do that.”

The kindness continues to ripple outward. Sydney Burnett, a 14-year-old who was given a costume from Nico, couldn’t stop smiling. “It makes me think I don’t have it so bad. He’s worse off than me and he is helping others. It makes me want to do something to help someone else,” Burnett promised.

What can YOU do — to give back to someone in need?

* Special thanks to everyone who responded to our calls for donations:
–Green Apple Books, Sparky’s Balloons, Amanda Rivas and the Rivas Family, DayDreams and Nightmares and Amy Pankratz, founder of Wonder Capes for making superhero capes for Nico and his brother and sister.

1. Contribute to Make-A-Wish.
2. Brighten someone’s spirits. Volunteer at your local hospital or cancer center.
3. Share this story with a child in your life and encourage them to take action.

Follow us @GoInspireGo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

More Stories About Nico Castro:
Boy, 6, with Brain Cancer Brings Halloween to Sick Kids
Cape Crusaders: Empowering and Honoring Young Superheroes
Young Superhero Shares Halloween Spirit with Kids in Hospital (Update)

The post 6-Year-Old Halloween Hero Quadruples Goal, Brings Holiday Spirit to Sick Kids, Pt. 2 appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

Six-year-old Nico Castro from San Bruno, Calif., isn’t letting his battle with brain cancer affect his spirit of giving this Halloween. After his doctor gave him the green light to go trick-or-treating thanks to a break in his chemotherapy, he was jumping for jack-o’-lanterns, what a treat! But here’s where it gets tricky.

“Even though he’s worse off than some of these other kids in the hospital, he’s worried about them and oh they can’t go trick-or-treating and oh they can’t get candy,” said Nico’s mother, Marlene Castro, in a proud, but somber voice.

This worried little Halloween hero with a big heart asked his parents if they could buy costumes and treats for the kids in the cancer ward. “I was sad they wouldn’t have candy,” Nico explained. Marlene and her husband Raul Castro were moved by his thoughtfulness, however, it would be impossible to buy costumes and goodies for the more than 50 sick kids in the hospital. The family took a big financial hit after Nico’s diagnosis.

Nico knows what it feels like to have to sit on the sidelines during the holidays. Last November, instead of celebrating, he was in the hospital too ill to take part in the festivities. He was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, cancer of the cerebellum. But during this scary time, all he could think about was if he would be healthy enough to celebrate his favorite holiday — Halloween.

So in true superhero fashion, they took action and started a costume drive. “We were so surprised from the support outside of our community. The community really came together and packages of costumes are coming from Pennsylvania, Illinois and Texas,” Raul said. “The costumes, the little trinkets that the kids in the beds are getting… just an instant and it changes their demeanor and whole attitude about being sick.”

Beware: grab a Kleenex before watching this Halloween hero’s story:

It’s amazing to see how the community comes together when they’re given a healthy dose of inspiration. After meeting Nico, I quickly realized his superhero power is inspiring people to expand their minds, be more compassionate and to open their hearts.

After an initial call with Nico’s mother to set up this shoot, I couldn’t help but pitch in. I made some calls to local businesses and told them about Nico’s story. Sparky’s Balloons in San Francisco donated the festive bouquet of balloons and a goodie bag filled with spooky toys and trinkets. My good friend Jessica Chang reached out to Daydreams and Nightmares, a local costume shop in Modesto, Calif., that donated 20 costumes. Green Apple Books in San Francisco donated a $25 gift card after hearing that Nico likes to read. Our Facebook friend, Amanda Rivas from San Jose, Calif., saw our FB shout out, donated 15 costumes and came along to our shoot to surprise Nico. Thanks Rivas family!

Since my nonprofit Go Inspire Go brings you stories of everyday heroes, leverages social media to build community and ultimately inspire action, we had a few tricks up our sleeves — so I reached out to super mom Amy Pankratz, founder of Wonder Capes in Sioux Falls, S.D., and BAM, she quickly crafted a custom Batman cape for Nico and two other capes for his brother, 11, and sister, 8. I told her that Nico likes Batman because the mask covers his bald head. She told me that made her sad, so she made an extra trip to the fabric store and crafted a mask too.

The donations and kind acts continue to pour in. My friends asked if we could go to the hospital on Halloween to hand out goodies to the kids. The community has pitch in to offset some of the medical costs. More than $1,200 has trickled in.

It is hard to sit back and not take action after meeting this inspiring family who embody the real meaning of family, generosity and being present. “If you would have asked me a year ago that my son would be battling brain cancer and I would be going to the hospital daily, I would have never believed it,” Marlene explained. “Ironically, every year we would give donations to St. Jude’s Hospital for sick children.”

It’s easy to see where Nico got his kindness, compassion and giving spirit. When you hear of Nico’s story, you can’t help but reflect on your own life. As a kid, I thought Halloween was about ghosts, goblins, candy and costumes. But as I get older, I realize that at its core, this hallowed holiday is more about giving, not just with candy, but sharing and revering in these little moments with each other.

We grew up on welfare, so buying a cheap $5 costume was expensive to us. I have vivid memories of autumn. I can smell the morning dew on the vibrant leaves that crinkled under my little feet — orange, yellow, brown. My brothers and I were excited for my auntie Hong to get off work and take us costume shopping at the local Thrifty’s and Newberry. I remember playing with the flash lights, Halloween Pez dispensers and toys in the store aisles that I would have to put back because we didn’t have the money to buy them. Still, we were happy because each of us left with a costume.

I never told Auntie Hong how this little gesture and the inexpensive costumes meant the world to us. That’s all we cared about. Experiences and connections and simple acts of generosity are what this holiday is truly about. Ironically, Auntie Hong passed away of breast cancer at age 47. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Auntie Hong’s kind seasonal act had a profound impact on how I see the world today. Her kindness was passed along for many holidays to come. My parents didn’t understand or celebrate Halloween or many other holidays, so I made a concerted effort to make holidays a big deal for my younger cousins and now for my nephew and niece. It’s inspired me to be kinder to others, give what I can, and to be present and live every day with the attitude of gratitude all year round. It’s interesting how the little moments in life come full circle. Now that I have a voice and a platform, I’m using it to multiply the deeds of superheroes like Nico.

Nico has undergone extensive surgery to remove his brain tumor, which was about four-and-a-half inches big. Doctors were able to remove most of the tumor from his cerebellum, but couldn’t take out the rest of it because it was attached to his brain stem. Meanwhile, doctors believe the prognosis is good, but worry about how the treatment will affect Nico’s standard of living in the long run.

This one’s for you Auntie Hong. Nico, my Halloween hero, thank you for your thoughtfulness and allowing me to say thank you to my Auntie by telling your story!

Please don’t sit out this holiday. Take action.

Take Action

Update: Nico has collected 85 NEW costumes & 60 USED costumes!

    1. Be a HALLOWEEN HERO: Donations can be made at:
        C&C Automotive Refinishing
        860 San Mateo Ave.
        San Bruno, CA 94066

    2. Write a letter to a cancer patient to show support.

    3. Hug your child or a loved one. Tell them you love them.

* Follow us @GoInspireGo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

More Stories About Nico Castro:
6-Year-Old Halloween Hero Quadruples Goal, Brings Holiday Spirit to Sick Kids
Cape Crusaders: Empowering and Honoring Young Superheroes
Young Superhero Shares Halloween Spirit with Kids in Hospital (Update)

The post Boy, 6, with Brain Cancer Brings Halloween to Sick Kids appeared first on Go Inspire Go.