Meet Kaila Sholes

At just 22 years old, Kaila Sholes is facing a battle she never imagined she would have to fight. Kaila is a young mom to her 4-year-old son, and in the middle of May 2026, her world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

“I never thought I would get cancer, but I guess you never see it coming.”

After traveling to Rochester to explore her options, Kaila received another heartbreaking piece of news. Because of her cancer and treatment, she will not be able to carry another child. Her doctors have taken steps to preserve the possibility of having another child someday through surrogacy — something that remains an important dream for Kaila.

As if a cancer diagnosis wasn’t enough, Kaila has also had to leave her job. The physical demands of standing for long hours caused significant pain around her tumor, making it impossible for her to continue working while fighting this disease.

On August 31, 2026, Kaila began chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation. And already, the treatments are taking a toll. There are some okay moments, but many days are simply hard. Really hard. Sometimes family and friends check in and Kaila doesn’t even know what to say. Sometimes she just wants to sleep because, for a little while, she doesn’t have to feel so sick.

This is where My Happy Place comes in.

Home should be a place of comfort. A place to rest. A place to escape the weight of the world for a little while. A place where a young mom and her little boy can curl up together, laugh, make memories and simply be together. We want to give Kaila and her son a living room makeover that creates exactly that — a beautiful, cozy space that feels like their happy place during an incredibly difficult season of life.

At My Happy Place, we may not be able to take away someone’s cancer, but we can surround them with love, kindness and a reminder that they don’t have to walk through it alone. Together, we can turn a living room into a place filled with comfort, hope and beautiful memories.

My Happy Place functions solely on donations and volunteers. You can easily donate using this link: