Malakai Carey

Singer, Actor, Song Writer, Speaker

Liver Cancer Survivor

Liver Transplant Recipient

My name is Malakai Carey and here is my story. For eleven years, I was by all accounts a completely normal kid. However, just as I began middle school, my health massively declined. I was constantly sick, I lost a lot of weight, and worst of all, no one could explain why. More than one expert suggested the problem was all in my head. Doctors suggested other procedures but thankfully, my mom didn’t quit and asked for further scans. Despite the doctor’s assurance that an ultrasound would be pointless, the test revealed a tumor the size of a small football attached to my liver. The next day I was immediately driven down to Children's Hospital Los Angeles where I was biopsied and diagnosed with an extremely rare form of liver cancer in April of 2019.

My tumor is normally found in toddlers; however, it was morphing into an adult cancer that was much more aggressive. Over the next 4 months I received over 60 rounds of chemo, then I heard the good news: “Your tumor is small enough for a resection.” Following a successful removal of the tumor, I was preparing to ring the bell hanging in the cancer floor at Children’s Hospital. This would declare that I was cancer-free and uplift other patients on the cancer floor. Now I could get back to my normal life, or so we thought. 

The following month the doctors delivered some hard news. They explained that despite the successful surgery, I still had small, freckle-sized cancer spots on my liver. Even though they were dead, there was concern my cancer would someday return. The safest—but most aggressive—route forward would be a complete liver transplant. 

The next few months were the most challenging yet. I received more chemo treatments that left me with long term side effects. Finally, we received a call from the hospital saying they had the perfect liver for me; but the odds I would get the donated liver were significantly small. I was told to stay home and not get my hopes up. The next morning, I woke up expecting to be passed over yet again. Instead, I was told to drive to Children’s Hospital as fast as I could. When we arrived, they rushed me past admissions and before I knew it, I was in surgery. On November 25, 2019, I was blessed with the gift of life. 

One of my main goals in life is to give back to the community which gave me life and a new beginning and an opportunity to strive for my dreams. My cancer journey shaped me into who I am today with my passions to pursue a music career, continue acting, as well as plans to start a non-profit. I have been a childhood actor since a young age in commercials, tv shows, movies, and cartoons. A few of my favorites I have been in are Modern Family, Jimmy Kimmel, 100 Things to do Before High School, and Miles from TomorrowLand.

I also developed my love for music during my cancer battle. Writing lyrics was a way of expressing my emotions. From then on, I knew it was one of the things I wanted to do with my life. I wrote one of my first songs about a crush I had on a girl, when I was battling cancer. A family friend was able to help me make the song. That really got the ball rolling, and I started taking piano lessons, taught myself guitar, and was singing all the time. I was also given a Make-A-Wish during my cancer battle, I wished for and received a gaming “man cave” in my backyard. However, as my passion for music developed, gaming wasn’t an interest anymore, so a couple of summers ago my grandpa and I transformed the gaming “man cave” into my own backyard studio. 

Over the last year, I have taught myself how to produce my own music and soon plan to release my first single made completely by me. It has been a dream of mine to attend USC and study music there ever since 8th grade. So, this year as I was applying for colleges, I decided to aim high for my dreams. I couldn’t believe it when I read the letter that I was accepted into USC Thornton's school of music. I’m so excited and blessed to be attending there this Fall.

I want to be a light and example in the world showing that even though someone can go through extreme life-changing circumstances they can still chase and accomplish their dreams.