Featured Memorial | Jessica Rees

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. (AP) - A 12-year-old Southern California girl who started a blog and a Facebook page to raise awareness about child cancer has died of a brain tumor.

Jessica Joy Rees was diagnosed in March. Her family says her 10-month battle with cancer ended Thursday.

The Orange County Register reports (http://bit.ly/yJwyF3) that Jessica was mourned by tens of thousands of people on Facebook.

Jessica began her blog after she became sick, with posts that described her feelings and urged readers to pray for children with cancer.

The seventh-grader always signed off with the acronym "NEGU" (NEE'-goo), short for "never ever give up." Jessica and her father, Erik Rees, also started a foundation to raise money for pediatric cancer research.


Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.