Now Cancer-Free, Carson Is Looking Forward to a New Chapter in Life

When a 9-plus-pound tumor turned out to be sarcoma of the liver, 16-year-old Carson kept a positive attitude throughout a challenging treatment regimen. Now he is making the most of every day.

In March 2005, Carson began experiencing a pain in his side whenever he took a deep breath. But he was an active, sports-loving, high school sophomore, so there was little initial concern—at least for Carson. His mother felt otherwise. She took him to the emergency room to be examined, which led to an initial diagnosis of pneumonia.

A few months later, the pain returned. Carson was swimming when he suddenly felt that familiar feeling, but within a few hours, the pain became unbearable. A pediatric after-hours clinic diagnosed Carson with chest inflammation and prescribed some pain medicine. But still, the pain intensified overnight. Two days later, Carson went to a pediatrician who ordered a CT scan.

Carson returned to school after the scan but was called to check out again just 30 minutes later. His mother picked him up and explained that the CT scan revealed a large mass in his liver. They were heading to Atlanta to meet with a surgeon. The family was relieved when a biopsy of the tumor came back benign, but Carson required surgery to have the mass removed.

What was supposed to be a simple, two- to three-hour surgery turned into a complex, 10-hour tumor removal. Unfortunately, the biopsy had been incorrect. Carson’s tumor was actually a 9.6-pound malignant Stage 4 undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver.

Positive and steadfast

A multidisciplinary team of oncology specialists at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta constructed a treatment plan specifically for Carson, which included six months of chemotherapy as a precautionary measure.

“Our team of doctors expressed that although the treatment would be difficult and make me feel really sick, having a positive attitude and trying to live as normal a life as possible could help tremendously. At the time, I really did not believe that, but I decided I would give it a shot, and I found out that they were right,” Carson says.

“Make no mistake about it, there were bad days,” he adds. “But I continued to participate in my normal activities, spend time with friends, play music and sports and attend school daily. My faith, support from my family and friends, and my doctor’s advice about having a positive attitude helped me get through the whole process in a way I would’ve never imagined.”

Guided by the past, living for tomorrow

Carson completed his treatment plan in December 2005. Immediately after his last round of chemotherapy, he spoke at the Aflac Focus meeting in Atlanta, singing a song he wrote called “Your Last.” Five years later, Carson was declared cancer-free.

He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012 with his bachelor’s degree, and then he completed a master’s degree in business from Columbus State University. Carson continued to live in Columbus, where he became a fixture of the local business community.

In the spring of 2015, he was approached about becoming an Aflac associate. “It was something that I had certainly considered at times, having become familiar with Aflac by growing up in church with Dan Amos, CEO of Aflac Incorporated, being treated at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center [and] doing post-treatment speaking engagements,” he says. “And my family was also an Aflac cancer policyholder when I was diagnosed. It was an incredible lifesaver for us.” Each of these factors influenced Carson’s decision to join the Georgia-South/Florida-North team, and he hopes to continue to grow as an Aflac team member.

Today, Carson is married to his college sweetheart, Charlotte Smith. In their spare time, they enjoy time at the lake, seeing new places, checking out cool restaurants, cheering on the Dawgs and spending time with loved ones.