Carly's Journey

They say to be kind to everyone you meet because they are fighting a harder battle. Well, for one student, this was a reality. You never, truly know what is going on in a person's life, unless they let you in. 

Carly Thorne is from Grove City, PA, graduated from Grove City high school and had aspirations to attend Kent State University to begin her college career. Her summer of 2012 went by like any other; she had fun with friends and family and enjoyed every ounce of her last summer before college. Carly always had a "this could never happen to me" mentality, because she was a college student now...what could happen?

Carly and her family loved to go to the beach.

After the death of her cousin, Carly's life continued as anyone else's would, except for the fact that her mother was diagnosed with stage 4, metastatic breast cancer. This is where Carly first felt how cruel the world could be. Metastatic cancer means that the person's cancer has spread from the place it first started to another part of the body. When cancer reaches stage 4, this usually means that the cancer can be difficult to get rid of, however in Carly's case, her mother responded very well to the chemotherapy. At her mother's 6 month scan, the cancer had decreased in her bones, was gone in the breast, and was still slightly on her liver. For a cancer patient with stage 4 cancer, this was fantastic news. During this time, Carly decided to continue to study at Kent State University, but would travel home on the weekends to visit her mother. "I would come home to her on the weekends cleaning the house like she was healthier than ever. It really lifted my spirits she was feeling positive and had a good outlook on this battle." 

Carly with her mom's friend Tina Moser

After a year at Kent State, Carly decided to transfer to Slippery Rock University. Her mother had a tremendous impact on her decision, but it was also a chance to save money and switch majors from speech pathology to public relations. This is how she got to be involved in the Slippery Rock University communication department. Before starting her first semester at Slippery Rock, her mom's friend, Tina Moser, the Assistant to the President, needed a student worker in her office. Carly accepted that position and worked in the office for three years, and developed a family in Old Main.




During her first year at Slippery Rock however, her mother's cancer returned. 

Carly and her mom at a breast cancer awareness event.

During this time, her mother's condition began to worsen. Her mother's cancer was worse on her liver, worse in her bones, but it was not in her breast. After this diagnosis, her mother began more chemotherapy treatments, as well as radiation. For those who may not know, whenever a cancer patient gets treated with radiation and chemotherapy, it is not a skip in the park. With chemotherapy, doctors use strong drugs to treat cancer, either in a pill, flu-like shot, intravenous (IV), or a couple different ways. (American Cancer Society, 2015). Radiation therapy, or just radiation, uses high-energy waves to damage or ultimately destroy cancer cells. Chemo treats the entire body, whereas radiation is used only on the part of the body with the cancer cells. Many patients go to treatment every week for months. For Carly's mother however, the second round of chemo and radiation did not have as good as an effect as the first round. Her mother became weak and tired very quickly, and in a matter of three months, the cancer had spread everywhere. Unfortunately, the cancer also made it's way to her brain. She passed away August 15, 2014.




After her mother passed away, Carly continued on through school and will be graduating from SRU this coming Saturday, December 12. She has been a part of the Communication Honor's Society, Lambda Pi Eta, as well as the student-run PR firm on campus, Rock PRoductions. Throughout the time of her mother's cancer, Carly has shown over and over again how a person can still be standing even in a time of great sorrow. She has shown great courage and commitment to her studies, as well as her family.





Carly's mother will always remain her best friend. 

Carly and her mom acting goofy.

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Carly continues to be an inspiration to those around her. She has had three, successful years at Slippery Rock University and will continue to inspire even after graduation. Thank you, Carly, for sharing your story with us.