3-year-old girl battling cancer gets tattoo sleeves to be just like her dad

A 3-year-old girl battling cancer just got full tattoo sleeves. But the tats were appropriate – they were Disney-themed and temporary.

Skyla Zimmerman D'Autorio said she never in a million years thought she would be taking her toddler to get tattoos. But her daughter, Trinity, loves her dad's tattoos and wanted ones just like his.

Because Trinity is battling neuroblastoma, her parents try to do fun and creative activities to take her mind off the cancer. "Cancer has taken and continues to take so much from Trinity," D'Autorio wrote on Facebook.

When her daughter first told her she wanted tattoos, D'Autorio reached out to a local parlor, Ink Wolves, in Tampa, Florida. D'Autorio said she was "not sure if they would even reply, and if they did reply I wasn't sure if they would think I was crazy!

"To my delight they jumped right into this crazy idea with me!" she wrote. Ink Wolves bought special tattoo markers and started practicing with them so Trinity's tats would look professional. Two of the artists there came in on their day off and for four hours they drew on Trinity's arms and legs while listening to Disney music, D'Autorio said.

The result: Ariel from "The Little Mermaid," Winnie the Pooh, some butterflies and even Trinity's name etched onto her body. The toddler was happy with the results.

D'Autorio told CBS News the tattoos only lasted about six days, but they used a professional photographer so the images would be captured forever.

Trinity's spirits were lifted by the masterpieces – and everyone involved called it the "best day ever." Her neuroblastoma has spread, but she's always been tough in her battle against cancer, her mom said. And now her tattoos make her look even tougher – although most of them are cute Disney characters.

In:
• Cancer