Carly’s Story

Carly was diagnosed with a central nervous system tumor when she was ten years old. Her initial 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,” Carly told us. “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 was 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,” Carly said. “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 became 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.

Carly studied public advocacy at Belmont University and told us that she loved living in Nashville.

Carly’s Advocacy Project

For her volunteer advocacy project, Carly helped 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 helped 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 shared this resource with local organizations and clinics throughout Connecticut, and we’ve heard from families about how much it has helped them navigate the often overwhelming world of scholarship applications.

“There is no doubt that many families will now be able to have the opportunity to apply for scholarships that they never would have without this,” said the staff at a Connecticut-based foundation that used her research to update their resource guide for childhood cancer families. “They simply don’t have the time to do all the research that Carly did, and this ‘shortcut’ will be immeasurably valuable.”

In Memoriam

Carly passed away in May 2025, at 20 years old, after a courageous ten-year battle with brain cancer.

She was studying public advocacy and on track to graduate from the Belmont University honors program in 2026. In addition to her participation in our College Scholars Program, Carly was a National Spokeskid for The Sunshine Kids Foundation, spoke in support of Make-A-Wish Connecticut, and worked as a Program Counselor at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

We deeply grieve the loss of Carly, and we offer our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved her.