Happy autumn, my favorite time of year! As the leaves change color and wither, I’m reminded that they’re nourishing the soil for new growth in the spring. As a college student, I remember pausing amid the hustle and bustle of each fall semester — my part time job, internships, extracurriculars, running cross country and, oh yeah, school — to take in the mixture of warm and crisp air in San Francisco and revel in the changes.

I remember thinking:
1. What is going well that I need to keep doing? Like working out, getting good grades and speaking at school events.
2. What do I have to say goodbye to? What things aren’t serving my best self, so I can let it fall with the leaves?
3. To remind myself to pause and breathe in the crisp morning air, take in the sights of the beautiful fall colors and slowly sip on my cinnamon and pumpkin spice latte.

As I reflect upon the changes from last autumn, I decided that instead of pushing myself to create more videos, I’d nurture the existing content we had — the stories and messages — and work on repackaging them for a greater impact. I went with the flow. Team members got married, some had kids (talk about changes!), while others moved on to other cities and jobs and others are still here. I can’t believe we’ve had more than 150 volunteers who have found their “inner superhero power” helping me help unsung heroes.

One of my favorite things to do now is pause and enjoy the process, whether things seem well or stuck in motion. I also love to catch up and follow up with some of our heroes as their stories and impact continue to ripple out.

For example:

1. Nico Castro, our Halloween hero is at it again, collecting costumes for his friends in the hospital who are too sick to go trick-or-treating. We’re happy to report this 11-year-old warrior has fought off the villain (brain cancer). His mom tells me he is undergoing regular check-ups and follow-up procedures to continue winning the battle. If you’re able to donate new costumes to help him bring cheer to his friends in the hospital, here’s how (see flyer below):

2. Matthew Kaplan of The Be ONE Project, a peer-to-peer mentoring program, was chosen to be a CNN Hero last fall! Woo hoo. CNN producers reached out and licensed our footage and interviews for their feature on Matthew’s anti-bullying program that blossomed when he couldn’t find a youth-centric anti-bullying program to help his younger brother who was harassed by cyberbullies.

3. One of my favorite quotes is from the late poet, Maya Angelou: “When you get, give. When you learn, teach.” Little did I know, the past decade I dedicated to Go Inspire Go’s mission of featuring everyday heroes to inspire the hero in each of us would help me find my own superhero power. I grew and evolved personally, professionally and spiritually through each story, interaction with my volunteers/team and meeting you all and hearing how GIG impacted your lives. This led me to shed my insecurities around growing up poor and ashamed to tell my story about the struggles of being an immigrant whose dream didn’t align with my parents’ “American Dream.”

I’ve spent the past year on GIG 2.0 — the “TruthDare” podcast. I interview badasses who have found their “true calling” and I dare you to also find your truth. I realize all the work I’ve been doing has a single thread running though them: finding out your truth — that special thing that excites you when you wake up and makes you, YOU. I realized that when you own and live your truth, you give people the permission to live theirs. When you share it with others, that, my friends is JOY.

I’m inviting you to listen and share, and to “Trust your truth, I dare you!”

Onward,
Toan

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The post My Favorite Time of Year: Fall Forward, Reflecting Back appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

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

Follow us: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram.

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

We first featured Nico Castro three years ago when he was a very ill 6-year-old. He was recovering from a brain tumor measuring a little more than four inches in diameter. In the throes of his illness — in true superhero fashion — Nico wanted to help others. At the time, Nico was undergoing five days of cancer treatment. His wish was to be Batman for Halloween and go trick-or-treating. But things got tricky and bittersweet when doctors granted him a day off from treatment to enjoy his favorite holiday.

He told his Mom and Dad he was sad because the other kids in the hospital didn’t get to dress up and go trick-or-treating. He wanted to bring the spirit of Halloween to the kids. We got the bat signal and helped him bring Halloween to those kids. Grab a tissue, here’s what happened when we told his story:

The Act

This 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. His mother 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. In November 2011, 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 Halloween.

Nico and his family took action and started a costume drive. At first they received about 20 costumes. This Go Inspire Go story activated more heroes across America:

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. Donations and kind acts poured in, including superhero capes, goodie bags filled with toys, balloons and more. Nico’s efforts resulted in donations more than 200 costumes and about $1,200 in cash.

“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, Nico’s dad 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.”

The Ripples

Today, Nico in stable condition and cancer-free. He is coping with the residual effects of the treatment that have affected his cognitive learning. He was pulled out of his school and was put into a special school for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Marlene says Nico isn’t happy about being in a different school. “He cried the first day and wants to be back at his regular school with his old friends.” Their goal is to get Nico’s cognitive learning up to speed so he can return to his regular school.

Nico’s mother describes him as having become very empathetic toward other kids who are not the average child as a result of his illness. “He’s very aware of the differences in people,” she said.

Last year, we gifted Nico with a puppy. He and his siblings love Lucky and fight over getting to sleep with him. He’s a calm dog who brings love to their home.

Take Action

Marlene believes in the power of prayer: please pray for Nico’s health and general well-being. “He gets emotional,” Marlene said. “Why did God have to give me cancer? I just want to be Nico, not Nico the cancer patient.”

Raise awareness for childhood cancer and support research to end this horrid disease: Volunteer, share this story, make a donation. Marlene recommendations organizations that give 100 percent of the proceeds to the cause like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, St. Baldrick’s Foundation and Juliana’s Journey Foundation.

Nico continues to collect costumes and Halloween goodies for his goodie bags every year. This year’s 50+ costumes will be delivered to Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center in Santa Clara, Calif.

Marlene is searching for treatment to improve his cognitive learning. Resources she’s found are expensive. If you or anyone you know is a specialist in this field, please email us at info@goinspirego.com — superheroes activate!

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Join our movement & Go Inspire Go…

More Stories About Nico Castro:
Boy, 6, with Brain Cancer Brings Halloween to Sick Kids
6-Year-Old Halloween Hero Quadruples Goal, Brings Holiday Spirit to Sick Kids
Cape Crusaders: Empowering and Honoring Young Superheroes

The post Young Superhero Shares Halloween Spirit with Kids in Hospital (Update) appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

A quick search in one dictionary yielded this hilarious definition. Insert the lol, #smh and #omg here…

hero |ˈhi(ə)rō|
noun (pl. heroes)
A person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities: a war hero.
• the chief male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize.
• (in mythology and folklore) a person of superhuman qualities and often semidivine origin, in particular one of those whose exploits and dealings with the gods were the subject of ancient Greek myths and legends.

I chuckled at the “typically a man” and “male character” part.

The truth is, heroes are among us. We all possess heroic qualities. They’re the gifts that were given to us and come in many forms — through art, sports, talking, etc.

Heroes are ubiquitous. Many of them — or you — don’t even know one exists inside all of us. I recently spent the weekend with more than 150 heroes from kindergartners to adults at our cape-making extravaganza at Kent Middle School in Kentfield, Calif. Because generosity, kindness and helping others never goes out of fashion (neither do capes), we threw a party to make superhero capes for sick kids in the Bay Area.

Through Go Inspire Go, my non-profit, I was fortunate to have found two lead heroines, Kala Shah (my Community Heroes co-founder who piloted the program at her sons’ Sun Valley Elementary School in San Rafael, Calif.) and Melissa Stephens, to plan this big event. Melissa recently joined forces with us to bring the Community Heroes program to Kent Middle School where she teaches. The program helps kids find their inner superhero through service projects. It all starts by inspiring them with Go Inspire Go videos, a splash of excitement, enthusiasm and fun.

Our goal for the cape party was five-fold:

1. Inspire kids to find their power to give back while having fun.
2. Surprise and honor Nico Castro, 8, our Halloween hero.
3. Craft 250 handmade capes in honor of Nico. Capes will go to the two local UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, in San Francisco and Oakland.
4. Inspire viewers to do something nice for others.
5. All of this goodness will be wrapped up in a tester TV/Web pilot show — some networks are interested — stay tuned!

You may remember we featured Nico two years ago when he was a very ill 6-year-old. He was recovering from a brain tumor measuring a little more than four inches in diameter. In the throes of his illness, in true superhero fashion, Nico wanted to help others. At the time, Nico was undergoing five days of cancer treatment. His wish was to be Batman for Halloween and go trick-or-treating. But things got tricky and bittersweet when doctors granted him a day off from treatment to enjoy his favorite holiday.

He told his Mom and Dad he was sad because the other kids in the hospital didn’t get to dress up and go trick-or-treating. We got the bat signal and helped him bring Halloween to those kids. Grab a tissue, here’s what happened when we told his story and produced this story.

Back to the cape party… people came out of the woodwork to cut, glue and design capes. Others wrote cards with encouraging messages and packaged them for delivery. Some brought their talents to entertain the cape-making crusaders.

My friend Michael Ocampo sang a pop version of John Legend’s “All of You,” while Michael Pritchard, local comedian, healer and actor, made the audience laugh and shared the message of how being a true hero means serving others. His message: compassion, love and action — be good to one another.

After three hours of setup and an hour-and-a-half of cape-making, it was time to surprise our little superhero. Nico and his family had been waiting in a holding room and were now being escorted to the cape-making party.

It is said that the energy you put out is the energy that comes back to you. In this case, the energy in the room was vibrating at a frequency that could lift any hero — caped or not — to soaring heights.

As a quick hurrah, I told the kids that it was almost time to surprise Nico. “Everyone in this room is a hero,” I explained, and that as heroes, I asked them to do the following:

1. I signaled them to hold up a peace sign and said, “All heroes bring peace to our community.”
2. I asked them to put their hands over their heart because all heroes love and care and share with others.
3. Finally a fist in the air, because we all have the power — a gift — to do something to help others.

As I finished saying, “Are you ready to meet our little superhero?” the crowd cheered like the audience in an Oprah favorite things episode. “Nico! Nico! Nico!” they chanted.

Pow. Wow. The energy was explosive.

The doors busted open. I gave Nico a big hug. People crowded around us.

“Nico, you know why people are all here?” I asked.
He was dressed as Batman. I could see his little eyes through his mask, taking it all in.

“They’re here because you inspired the superhero in them. They came here today to make capes to honor you and what you did for the kids in the hospital. When you care and share with others, they care and share with you.”

I told him that he was the hardest hero to hook up because in true superhero fashion, everything he wished for was for others instead of for himself.

“So I did some investigating and found out that the cancer and treatment made it harder for you to learn. That’s OK, because when you listen to your heart, it will guide you and you will do the right thing. So, thanks to our friends at LeapFrog, they wanted you to have the LeapPad3, fully loaded with the latest games to make learning easier for you.”

“Wow,” said Nico.

“And, I heard you wanted a puppy, but not for yourself?”

“Yeah,” agreed Nico.

“I heard you wanted a puppy for your dog Willy, so he could have a friend, right? Julian Wolff from The Peninsula Humane Society is here to introduce you to your new puppy, Lucky!”

At this point, we were on cuteness overload! Tears from kids and adults alike rushed down their faces. Tears of joy. Healing, loving, compassionate energy gave us the courage and tingly feeling I imagine superheroes get when they use their power to help.

The thing is, we don’t need a cape or any other materials to make a difference. A hero and everything that comes along with the true definition of the word is already within you. You were born with it.

When you exercise that heart muscle, you too will be guided.

My hope is that in doing so — discovering that hero in you — like Nico, you will give others the permission to see and feel and be the hero you were brought here to be.

Peace. Love. Power to you all!

What will YOU do?

* Special Thanks: Castro family, Peninsula Humane Society, Leap Frog, Kala Shah, Melissa Stephens, Sean Stephens, Kacy Brod, Frank Siebenlist, Peter Shaplen, Chris Hill, Julian Wolff, Paul Miller, Michael Pritchard, Lisa Sandberg, Skip Kniesche, Liz Schott, Priya Patel, Jennifer Schumacher, Jamie Ybarra, Luis Pena-Philippides, Lee Tran, Andrew Sundling, Hoa Tran, Kevin Lee, Barbara Grandvoinet, Mike Ocampo, Rico Corona, Debbi Spungen, Melissa Ament, Rahul Kannan, Dora Wong, Gina Pell, Dave Pell, Gary Tellalian & every superhero who was a part of this event.

* Big shout out to the Salesforce Foundation, which sent employee reinforcements to participate in the event and donated cape materials as well as to the Coca-Cola Foundation, which supplied in-kind donations for the event.

Follow us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

More Stories About Nico Castro:
Boy, 6, with Brain Cancer Brings Halloween to Sick Kids
6-Year-Old Halloween Hero Quadruples Goal, Brings Holiday Spirit to Sick Kids
Young Superhero Shares Halloween Spirit with Kids in Hospital (Update)

The post Cape Crusaders: Empowering and Honoring Young Superheroes 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.