Kelly Clarkson comforts young fan with cancer on the TODAY plaza: ‘You are not alone’
Kelly Clarkson comforts young fan with cancer on the TODAY plaza: ‘You are not alone’
A young Kelly Clarkson fan who has cancer got the chance to meet the singer in an emotional moment on the TODAY plaza.
The 10-year-old fan, Camila, was diagnosed with brain cancer at 18 months old. She attended the “Stronger” singer’s Citi Concert Series performance on Friday, Sept. 22. TODAY’s Hoda Kotb previously interviewed Camila, who sent a message to Clarkson through Hoda.
“If you ever see Kelly Clarkson again, can you tell her that I’m her biggest fan,” Camila, who’s from Paterson, New Jersey, told Hoda at the time. “I really love her song ‘Stronger’ because that song actually made me get through my cancer.”
Camila was in the front row at the Sept. 22 concert and after Clarkson realized she was right in front of her, she gave her a big hug. Camila began sobbing in her arms.
Clarkson noticed Camila had a Moxy doll in her hands, which is the character Clarkson voices in 2019 film “UglyDolls.”
“I love that you love Moxy,” Clarkson said.
“Because she’s my favorite character from ‘UglyDolls,'” Camila said, “And I’ve been always trying to sing like her because this reminds me of me.
“Since I was born, when I was a kid, I’ve always been crying because I never knew how it was like to have friends,” Camila shared. “And people think that I’m just bald and sometimes I feel like I’m going to get bullied.”
Clarkson tried to cheer her up by saying a lot of people feel out of place and that it’s part of life.
“Hey, you know what? I did not fit in either when I was younger, and I think that’s a lot of kids out there,” Clarkson said. “You’re definitely not alone. A lot us struggle with finding your people, your friends and your school and stuff. And hey, that happens to all of us. You are not alone in that, OK? I was the same way.”
Clarkson said it worked out well for her, implying that it can for others, too.
“And look at me now,” Clarkson said, followed by an applause.
Hoda jumped in and told Camila: “We love you.”
Clarkson paid Camila one last compliment before their moment ended.
“You look beautiful with those earrings,” she said.
September is childhood cancer awareness month. Nearly 16,000 people age 19 and younger are diagnosed with cancer every year in the U.S., according to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, and 1 in 285 are diagnosed before their 20th birthday.
