After a week in hospital, 19 year old Carley Elle Allison passed away on the morning of March 31st, surrounded by family and friends.
Diagnosed in 2013 with a very rare form of clear cell sarcoma cancer that had formed on her trachea, Carley captured the hearts of thousands of viewers with a YouTube video she posted of herself singing a rendition of One Direction’s “More Than This,” while breathing through a breathing tube inserted in her throat during an emergency tracheotomy.
When first diagnosed, Carley was a grade 12 student with a very busy schedule. Along with her musical talent, Carley had been a competitive figure skater – training six days a week year round.
That strength and Carley’s blog detailing her fight with cancer gave the York Mills girl a devout following of patients at Sick Kids Hospital. They dubbed themselves “Carley’s Angels” and together they formed a support network built on uplifting Instagram posts and giggling through doctor’s checkups.
To the Angels and her parents Mark and May, Carley was a beacon of hope. Amidst three rounds of chemotherapy, she continued to sing, play piano and skate competitively.
On November 6, 2013 Carley was the featured speaker at the 16th Annual WICC Breakfast for Cancer. Carley shared information on her challenges, how she got through them, and inspiration for those who are similarly afflicted. Her story was presented through a question and answer session with WICC Ontario board member (and family friend), Barb Reddick. Since hearing of Carley’s passing, there has been an outpouring of support from the WICC community as everyone remembers the brave and giving young woman who spoke at the WICC Breakfast.
Carley never gave up on pursuing her education even after postponing university for a year. She left for Queen’s University in September in pursuit of a general arts degree, but the experience was cut short when her cancer continued to spread.
From then on, she was in and out of hospital wards, each time returning home to her excited puppy Tobi and sisters Riley and Samantha, who would greet her with welcome-home signs and lights strung in the shape of a heart above her bed.
Not once did she lose faith that she would ditch the disease that was ravaging her lungs and arm.
“If I am dwelling on it or concentrated on the negatives, it will only do me wrong,” she told the Star, after her cancer came back. “I have to stay as positive as I can.”
Carley had twice sung the national anthem at Leafs games, even when her voice began to waver, and became a staple at cancer events throughout the city. Toronto Maple Leaf captain Dion Phaneuf and his wife Elisha Cuthbert, visited Carley’s bedside a day before her passing. Paul Allison (Carley’s Uncle) said she would be happy to know that the team held a moment of silence in her honour at Tuesday’s game.
Paul said she leaves behind a legacy in Carley’s Angels, a charity the family started to honour her life and help others through difficult treatments.
“Her strength and determination she is a pillar of strength and she is a remarkable miracle,” he said. “We didn’t have her long, but she made a huge impact. This world was better off with Carley.”