GLO Days were Carly’s vision. Starting at a very young age, Carly had an unbelievable amount of empathy for children battling cancer with a vision that would lead her to medical school in order to be a pediatric oncologist. She followed several young girls on their journeys as they battled their cancers. As she followed them she began to develop a plan of her own to start a non profit organization to help girls that were battling cancer. Her original plan began around the age of 11 and blossomed by the age of 14 to be a complete service project that encompassed several of her passions. In her teenage years she discovered make up and the joys of spending hours applying make up many different ways and realized she could make herself feel better even on a gloomy day with a make up session with one of her best friends! The other passion that she added into her plan was her love of photography. This was one that she was just developing as her life was cut short.
Carly’s idea, and that behind GLO, is that even those that are battling the worst of physical battles, going through chemotherapy, should be able to feel beautiful. Even at times when you have no hair, are stuck in a hospital with a hospital gown and IV pole, that you should be able to feel beautiful. Her goal was to help these girls by giving them that make up day with a “best friend”! She wanted them to have a day of fun with a makeup day and photo shoot. To allow them to forget their troubles for a short while and have some pictures to hang onto to remember those moments! The pictures I have of Carly’s photo shoots are also some of my most treasured possessions. They allow me to look back and remember the joy and happiness, the way she loved to live life, feeling beautiful and battling every day without fear looking to the future!
