One girl is using her battles against cancer to create a foundation to help those who are still fighting.
Carly Rose Nieves, a native of Middle Village, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2003, at the age of 7. During her treatment she went through many chemotherapy sessions as well as blood and platelet transfusions, and eventually beat cancer.
At the age of 12, Nieves relapsed and had to fight cancer for a second time. After her relapse, she needed intensive chemotherapy and many more blood and platelet transfusions. With the help of her family and friends, Nieves never gave up hope and beat cancer again.
Nieves went on to graduate from Christ the King High School with honors. She is currently attending LaGuardia Community College and has a 4.0 grade point average.
“My fight against cancer, and beating it twice, is so important to me because it has truly shaped who I am today. It opened my eyes to everything we take for granted in our lives and has helped me look at things from a different perspective than most teens/young adults would normally view things,” Nieves said. “I don’t believe in giving up easily, which is why I fought so hard; the support of family and friends also gave me even more incentive and encouragement to fight the battle I call cancer. Refusing to let cancer take over my life was my ambition; looking forward to the freedom after treatment was my goal.”
It was not only her family and friends that helped Nieves overcome cancer; it was the generosity of complete strangers who help patients, like Nieves, by donating the blood needed during blood and platelet transfusions.
To show her appreciation to everyone that helped her throughout her fights against cancer, Nieves and her family have created The Carly Rose Foundation (TCRF), which will be launching later this week.
“Our hope for TCRF, for many years to come, is to ease the financial burdens of these families by paying medical bills, sending grocery gift cards monthly and through the holidays, household expenses and sending gift baskets to their child that [is] ill and if that child has siblings to include them also,” said Lisa Horner, Nieves’ mother. “Who better knows what these families need than a family who suffered, not once but twice, with a life-threatening illness?”
TCRF has teamed up with New York Blood Center to host a blood and bone marrow drive at Christ the King High School, located at 68-02 Metropolitan Ave., on Saturday, Jan. 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The blood drive will have free face painting and balloons for kids, as well as several raffles for those who donate blood to win.
For more information or to make an appointment to donate, send an email to donate@carlyrose.com.
