Meet Carly: 2022 College Scholar
Our College Scholars receive a financial scholarship to help with academic expenses, and each scholar commits to undertaking a volunteer project of their choosing related to childhood cancer advocacy, with support and mentorship from the Children's Cancer Cause team.
Photo: Carly ‘ringing the bell’ to signal the end of treatment.
Carly’s Story
Carly was diagnosed with a central nervous system tumor when she was ten years old. Her rigorous treatment protocol included two major brain surgeries, multiple smaller surgeries, two years of chemotherapy, and proton radiation.
“I was determined not to let cancer affect my future,” says Carly. “When I could not attend school, I completed assignments from my hospital bed and converted our kitchen table into a lab.”
Her determination and dedication paid off. Carly excelled in her classes and was on the honor roll throughout her middle school and high school years in Granby, Connecticut. As a high school senior, she is president of her school’s National Honor Society and Editor of the yearbook.
“I learned the most effective healing does not always come in the form of medicine. It was experiences outside of the hospital that truly helped me heal,” says Carly.
Today, Carly is an outspoken advocate for other young cancer patients, serving as a spokesperson for charity organizations and sitting on the Adolescent and young Adult (AYA) Advisory Council at her local children’s hospital, advising hospital staff on ways to create more comfortable experiences for teenage patients.
As of 2023, she is attending Belmont University and loving Nashville!
“Cancer is one of the biggest obstacles a person can face. I am who I am today because of my past. I feel confident that I am capable of handling whatever life throws at me.”
Carly’s Advocacy Project
Carly is entering college with an undeclared major but she knows that whatever course her career takes, she wants to continue making an impact on the lives of others.
For her advocacy project, she’s helping other cancer survivors achieve their college dreams by making scholarships like this one easier to find.
“As a senior in high school, time is at a premium between schoolwork, extra-curricular activities, and applying to college,” she told us. “Couple that with lengthy medical appointments, and who has the time to research scholarships?“
Carly is helping to ease this burden for other young cancer patients and survivors through her creation of a database of pediatric cancer scholarships eligible to other residents of her home state. She’s shared this resource with local organizations and clinics throughout Connecticut, and we’ve already heard from families about how much it has helped them navigate the often overwhelming world of scholarship applications.