My beautiful daughter, Carrigan Nelson, lived a life defined not by the Osteosarcoma she bravely fought for seven years, but by the incredible love and light she gave to the world. Diagnosed just after her 18th birthday following a year of sports-injury misdiagnoses, Carrigan faced immense hurdles, including becoming an above-the-knee amputee in 2020. But she refused to be defined by her illness. Instead, she became a fierce advocate for pediatric cancer, lobbying in D.C. four times, speaking empowerment into existence, and sending care packages to teens and and young adults in the fight. The more cancer took from her, the more she gave back. Together, we found a cathartic healing in creating art, which we donated to fund her initiatives. Carrigan was an award-winning singer, a compassionate advocate, and my ultimate inspiration. Today, her family, friends, and I continue her work and her art, keeping her beautiful legacy alive.
Word of Wisdom
Carrigan’s Osteosarcoma had metastasized to her lungs in 2020. She continued to sing until her final days. As cancer took so much of her lungs and diaphragm….she continued to sing, learning new vocal techniques as cancer compromised her lungs. She said that “when your own breath is so precious…sharing it with others is the greatest gift you can give.”
