Inspiring 12-Year-Old Girl Who Blogged Fight With Cancer Has Passed Away

Jessica Joy Rees may have only had 12 years old on this planet, but the seventh grader had blogged her battle with brain tumors since she was only 10 years. The Southern California native passed away after a 10-month struggle, but her blog will remain as a child’s account of radiation and chemotherapy treatments, as well as her encouragement to other sick children. Her entries were reportedly read in dozens of countries as she urged her dedicated readership to support pediatric cancer research and to pray for other ill children.

Young Jessie was inspired to begin her blog after doctors discovered an inoperable tumor. AP reports that a second tumor was located in September 2011. The little girl remained thoroughly optimistic about her diagnosis on her blog, signing all posts with  the acronym “NEGU” – never give up. Jessie and her parents even established The NEGU Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness, money, and support for cancer patients. Jessie’s Foundation sold more than 3,000 of “JoyJars,” containers of candy and toys to sick children in 27 states last year.

Jessie was also famously invited to American Idol to announce the win of Scott McCreery with co-host Ryan Seacrest.

Jessica’s family announced her passing on her Facebook page last week, to which “tens of thousands” of people, according to AP, responded with prayers and condolences conveying just how influential she became in her young life.

She may have been taken from us young, but Jessie’s ability to accrue such a mass of supporters with just her voice and her cause makes her a very remarkable young girl. In an age where girls here age are getting famous on the internet for sheer pursuits of fame,  Jessie was able to to bring attention to a truly important issue before even hitting her teens.

(photo: msnbc.msn.com)