Care for Carley

There are few words that take your breath away and stop your heart. Cancer. An unfortunate word that too many people still hear and impacts so many lives.

The facts: On June 29, my sweet cousin Carley was hospitalized and diagnosed with Leukemia. A cancer of the blood. Her exact subtype of Leukemia is made up of both acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) that result in a rare form—mixed- phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL)—cancer that requires the expertise of specialists in Seattle. Carley will undergo rounds of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. The combination of these treatments will keep her in and out of the hospital and outpatient care throughout the next year.

The person: Carley Jane Howell Mendiola is 33 years young. She is a daughter, granddaughter, niece, wife, mother, friend, and sister. She and her husband, Jeff, live and work in Olympia, WA where they raise their two sons, Jace, 6, and Cole, 4, and three energetic dogs. Both boys have a rare genetic disorder that keeps their family busy with around-the-clock care and support. For most people, these circumstances would break them, but Carley, an only child, grew up always dreaming of a busy life with a large family. She and Jeff would like to expand their family in the future and adopt.

Carley is an eternal optimist. Her outlook on life and positive energy are how she is going to get through this challenging time—and thankfully, her attitude is infectious. Even under the stress of this diagnosis, she is unable to keep from breaking out in laughter, dancing in her room, journaling, and making friends with every nurse on her floor. Call it her charm or only-child persuasion, but she was upgraded to a better room within 24 hours. She has a special light and you can’t help falling in love with her.

There aren’t enough words to explain the context of Carley and what she means to so many people, only that she is the most deserving person of prayers, love, and support.

Thank you for being part of her recovery.