Meet 10-YO Francine, The Cancer Survivor Who Snapped Celebrities At The Golden Globes

Earlier this month, when the Golden Globes Awards were held in Los Angeles, most headlines read how celebrities from all walks of life, especially Hollywood, had come together for a cause. When socialites, actors, actresses and other celebrities walked down the Golden Globes' red carpet sporting black outfits in solidarity with the #TimesUp and #MeToo movement, it was termed as an iconic and extraordinary moment. And so it was.

For one other girl, a photographer at heart if I must mention, the Golden Globes Awards was iconic too, but just in different terms. On the red carpet, Francine Gascon, 10, a gorgeous little 'Pablove Shutterbug' with an infectious smile on her face, dressed in a beautiful pink dress, was clicking photos of luminaries who she had never even dreamed of meeting in this lifetime.

Pablove Foundation -- a non-profit that assists children diagnosed with cancer to lead as normal a life as possible and still be kids at heart while they undergo painful treatment -- was set up by Jo Ann Thrailkill and Jeff Castelaz, after they lost their 6-year-old son Pablo, of a rare form of childhood cancer.

"When my son Pablo was diagnosed with cancer I wanted to hear what every parent desperately wants to hear when they find themselves in that situation …."we have a cure!” Through his 13 months of treatment, we also came to realize that quality of life for both the child and family is extremely important. A lot of people don't know that when a child gets diagnosed with cancer, it means getting pulled out of school, their activities, their social life and their routine. We wanted to give kids the opportunity to develop a creative voice during this difficult time, so we created Pablove Shutterbugs, an arts education program that we wish existed for Pablo during his long stays at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles," said Jo Ann Thrailkill, co-founder and President/CEO of The Pablove Foundation in an exclusive interview with News18.com.

"Today, the program has grown to serve nearly 1,500 students across the country and we are extremely fortunate to provide our students with unique experiences like Francine had shooting at the Golden Globes," she added.

Pablo's love for photography and the immense sense of comfort that he felt while shooting and clicking pictures was the inspiration behind setting up the Pablove Shutterbugs program. Francine, one of the many children who are a part of this program, happened to experience something iconic, something priceless that she will probably cherish for a very long time.

"I was super blessed and excited being at the Golden Globes. I wasn't expecting all of those moments to happen (I was just expecting to see them personally but never expected that I will be able to talk to some of them)! There's no exact words to explain but if only I was permitted to scream…I would, but as a photographer, I had to contain my excitement," said Francine to News18.com, with a little assistance from her mother Geraldine to put into words the excitement and emotions that she felt at the Golden Globes' red carpet.

Hailing from Philippines and born in Mariana Islands, Francine has two older sisters, one living with the family in Los Angeles, and the other serving in the Army in Hawaii. Crediting her love for photography to her sisters, Francine said, "I was influenced by my sisters because they love taking pictures too. My eldest sister's work (a photo) became Bank of Guam's calendar picture in Northern Mariana Islands when she was a Freshman in High School."

When asked if there was any special moment that she remembers from the event, Francine said, "I really wanted to meet the cast of 'Stranger Things', The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) and Steven Spielberg. It was really a dream come true. I got excited meeting Nick Jonas and Denzel Washington too!"

Talking about how photography has impacted her life and helped her through her painful treatment, Francie said, "Photography really made a great impact on my life. Though faced with Leukemia, my experiences during Shutterbugs classes have helped me appreciate life more, and that I need to keep going."

"The Pablove Foundation really is a great of help and it keeps me motivated, especially now after the Golden Globes. Photography has made me a positive thinker, to forget the pain, forget what I have and to keep on going. Life is good. For me, photography is life," she added. Francine was diagnosed with with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2016 and was put to treatment immediately after the family figured it out.

A super cute, chirpy and brave 5th-grader, fighting all odds with a lovely smile on her face and inspiring those whose lives she has touched, Francine's excitement at being part of the prestigious panel of photographers clicking the stars at the red carpet, is truly priceless.