Honouring my sister through Carley's Angels Foundation
Guest Blog: by Riley Allison
Always smile. That was Carley’s mantra, a message she would pass on to family, friends and the world. It’s a message that couldn’t have been more out of place in a cancer journey, yet she owned it, believed it and used it to inspire hundreds of thousands of people. There are certain people in life who shift your entire perception on what it means to be truly inspirational. My younger sister, Carley Elle Allison, is one of those people, and so much more. Everything, every single thing, you read, watch and hear about Carley highlights something new and incredible about her that leaves you speechless time and time again. That, however, is the problem. How do you give justice in words to the indescribable impact she has had on the world? I recently sat down for an interview with SickKids Foundation and tried to do just that.
Let’s begin by getting to know a little bit more about you; who is Riley? What are some of your passions, hobbies and talents?
I am a 25 year-old Torontonian, born and raised, and the oldest of Mark and May Allison’s three daughters. I have always been passionate about health. When Carley got sick, I narrowed in on nutrition because many areas of medicine were advancing and nutrition seemed to be left behind. I was lucky enough to be accepted into the University of Toronto’s Nutritional Sciences program where I spent two years working with a ground-breaking research group out of SickKids called “TARGet Kids!”.
Figure skating is also a passion of mine. Car and I grew up figure skating together. During my undergrad I competed for the McMaster University figure skating team for four years and was the recipient of the McMaster Graduating Athlete of the Year. The best part was, the year I won my solo program at the Ontario Championships, Carley helped choreograph the program.
More recently, I have decided to immerse myself in Carley’s Angels, striving to change the way cancer care is delivered. We have a long road ahead of us but the Psychosocial Oncology Fellowship we have funded at SickKids is a gigantic step in the right direction. When I’m not elbows deep in Carley’s Angels, I spend every other waking moment with my animals: Tobi, Car’s puppy, and my sweet horses Azalea and Arusa. They are my escape and my sanity.
Last but not least, I am BIG on family (and friends that may as well be family). They have been there through the unimaginable moments, but they were also there to witness the memories made with Car before cancer. None of this would have been possible without the immense support of this amazing group.
We’d love if you’d share some of your favourite memories of Carley.
Choosing favourites would be nearly impossible, however I think this memory is very representative of our relationship. Car and I would wake up most days around 6 a.m. to go skating. She was always rushing me out the door to make sure we weren't late. We would skate, go to school and then head back to the rink afterwards before doing our homework and going to bed. Car was so driven.
Every year at our skating club we would get to compete in a “fun” event called Similar Pairs. We would craft these energetic routines with amazing costumes to songs like Barbie Girl or Footloose. It was the one time of year where we could skate however we wanted. No strict routines; no big jumps I couldn’t land. Just me, Car and our unlimited creativity. For four years running we were the “Similar Pairs” champions. Those days were easily some of my favorite.
How would you like to see Carley remembered?
I would like the world to remember Car as the fierce spirit she was. I would like her name to be synonymous with courage and grace. It's one thing to be brave and tough, but it's a whole different ball game to do it with a smile on your face. Especially when smiling is the last thing you feel like doing. I would like her attitude to inspire others to find hope and a reason to smile because that is exactly why she shared her story with the world in the first place.
"When Carley first walked into SickKids we knew it was different."
What was it like coming to SickKids for the first time? Can you describe what SickKids means to you and your family?
When Carley first walked into SickKids we knew it was different. We were used to sleeping on floors and chairs so that we could be with her 24/7. We were used to her sharing a room with adults, in places with grey walls and tired staff. SickKids was so dramatically different. If it wasn’t for the medical equipment we wouldn't have known we were in a hospital. Carley’s room was bright, her nurses were cheerful and kind, and there were built-in beds for parents to sleep over. This made all the difference to Carley and our family.
Why did you decide to fund a Psychosocial Oncology Fellowship at SickKids?
We shared our vision and mission with countless other organizations who told us it was a great idea in theory but it wasn’t ready for a hospital setting. We wanted a partner who matched our level of passion and excitement. SickKids didn’t only take a chance on us, they were excited to be a leader in bringing this type of holistic thinking and treatment into the hospital.
We know this is just the beginning of uniting traditional and holistic cancer care in hospitals, such as social work, psychology, nursing, nutrition services, palliative care, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and spiritual care. Thank you SickKids for helping us create ripples that we hope will become waves in changing the way cancer care is delivered!
Tell us more about your event, Cycle for Carley, and the launch of your new campaign.
Cycle for Carley’s Angels is our flagship event! We recruit teams of four to compete in a gruelling 1km uphill battle on stationary road bikes. All for the ultimate glory of fastest team! The event includes an amazing local DJ, food, shopping and friendly competition! This year’s event is taking place in August 2019 at the CF Shops at Don Mills. Keep your eye on our Instagram or www.teamcarley.ca to sign up for our mailing list and receive exciting updates!
We are so excited to launch our upcoming project with SickKids! Due to the rareness of Carley’s cancer, traditional medicine alone was not enough to treat it. Instead, our family and Toronto’s outstanding medical community committed to searching for a combination of traditional and holistic treatments for Carley. The holistic treatments proved to be especially effective during Carley’s difficult journey. However, these treatments were not available in hospital and were very difficult to access. That’s why Carley’s Angels has set out to unite traditional and holistic cancer care in hospitals. It is also why we continue to spread Carley’s message of ‘always smile’, so that other patients, their families and people all around the world experiencing an adversity can be inspired by the power of positivity during their journey, whatever that may be.
Do you have any other events coming up in the near future?
We definitely do! Carley’s own words have been turned into a book called “Always Smile - Carley Allison’s Secrets for Laughing, Loving and Living”. To celebrate, we are hosting a book launch this April to continue to connect people with Carley’s inspiring story and to give some lucky people an early look at the book.
Any final words or thoughts?
Thank you. Thank you for being the hospital that Carley was comfortable going to. Thank you for being inviting, for listening to her, and for welcoming our family with open arms. Finally, thank you for helping us continue her legacy.
For more information, visit the Team Carley website. It is a great place to make a donation to Carley’s Angels, helping to support traditional and holistic cancer care and striving to change the way cancer care is delivered in hospitals like SickKids in Carley’s memory.
