When ELLE first met Caitlin Ong, it was December 2025. She stopped by the office for an interview before heading to dinner with friends. Walking in, Caitlin looked like any other cool ELLE girl, with great style, winged eye liner, the kind of glowing complexion that immediately suggests a dedicated multi-step skincare routine, and a shaved head that suited her so well it looked like an aesthetic choice rather than a drastic decision made in the throes of chemotherapy.
The next time we…

