A little curling, a brush of blush, and a kiss of color.  It’s Marti Love Terrell’s day for the full fairy princess treatment.  This 10 year old is trading a hospital gown for a beautiful fairy gown.

“Craniopharyngioma brain tumor,” Marti Love’s mother Anna Terrell explains.  “And we’ve watched it take over and kind of rule our lives.”

But it does not today.  Marti Love is the winner of the annual “Fairyography” Photo contest.  Photographer Heather Larkin started the contest for girls battling tough medical issues as a way to help them forget their pain.



“I was amazed,” gleams Marti Love.  “I feel so grateful.”



Larkin reads a number of submissions, but found her story to be particularly moving.

“I cried on the phone,” Larkin recalls.  “I sobbed like a little girl because it was something about the way she told it that touched me.”



It’s easy to understand. After a few minutes with Marti Love, you realize she is one brave little girl.



“You can do it,” Marti Love says she tells herself. “It takes time and courage. But you will eventually get through it.”



Marti Love’s mom tries to be as optimistic as her daugther. She admits it is hard.

“Extremely exhausting, very overwhelming, full of fear,” Terrell says, holding back tears.

But today is all smiles!  Anna Terrell explains why winning meant so much to them.

“Today is a sweet gift for a child who has had to grow up way too fast”

There is no question that Marti Love had a good time being a model.

“It was awesome!” she exclaims.



We don’t have magic wands to “poof” things away.  But a little pixie dust can’t hurt.