“There is nothing that can prepare you for the words ‘You have cancer.’ It was devastating.”
After a nine-month absence from work due to cancer, Holly Carr, administrative functional support, is motivated to fulfill her duties as a shipbuilder. With the helping hands of family, friends and even coworkers in the Contracts & Pricing department, Holly shares her story to inspire and save lives.
“It all started in 2019 when I was pregnant with my son, Casper,” said Holly. “At that time, my doctor became concerned about the results. Fast-forward to early 2024, when I started to have severe symptoms. I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer shortly after.”
The initial shock of her diagnosis rocked Holly to the core. However, she knew she had to overcome the news for her family, children and her very supportive husband and fellow shipbuilder Trent Carr, cost engineer.
“Everybody in Contracts & Pricing went out of their way to support me,” said Holly. “Shipbuilders would text me, donate gift cards and my husband’s manager was really accommodating with him so he could be there for me through everything.”
With everything going on at that point, returning to work was always part of Holly’s plan. Despite the obstacles, Holly was determined to fight cancer and set a powerful example for those around her.
“When your life flashes before your eyes, you gain a greater appreciation for every single day on this earth,” said Holly. “With that comes a sense of pride in everything I do, including my job. In my role, I strive to help people in our department and around the shipyard.”
Holly is a living testament for positivity and awareness. She encourages everyone to address lingering physical issues.
“Please don’t wait until something is seriously wrong before getting it checked out. You might catch it early enough so it doesn’t become a huge problem,” said Holly. “And if it’s something significant, you can fight what you’re going through. We all eventually encounter tough times in our lives. It’s how you respond that makes the difference.”