Life has a way of moving faster than we realize. We rush through mornings, race from one place to the next, cheer from the sidelines, plan dinner while thinking about tomorrow, and promise ourselves we’ll slow down when life finally does. We move through a thousand ordinary moments believing there will always be thousands more. Until one moment makes everything stand still.
In October 2021, Carol Hensley-Chester was standing on the sidelines cheering for her children at their Dragon games when her phone rang. Breast cancer. Two words, and suddenly the noise of everything else didn’t matter. Her children, Giselle and Colin, were only seven and four. Carol and her husband, Karl, had just purchased land to build their family home, a dream in the making. They’d been busy building a future when, in an instant, Carol found herself fighting to be there for it.
The road back to those sidelines would ask nearly everything of her. Chemotherapy. Radiation. Surgery. Immunotherapy. Through it all, there was a shining light of faith, hope, and perseverance. In her healing journey, she and her family grew healthier, more present, she evolved her passion of home and interior design, and grew closer to God.
In the middle of treatments and healing, a quiet piece of land was waiting. Building their home became her escape. She would visit the property, listen to the birds, feel the sun, and imagine her family there. When so much felt beyond her control, she could still envision and create. She designed every aspect, including the exterior architecture, and chose every floor, molding, door, window, piece of hardware, wallpaper, tile, and slab of marble. She wasn’t simply designing a house anymore; she was fulfilling her passion while healing at the same time.
Surviving also gave Carol the courage to turn her lifelong passion into CHC Interiors. “When your life flashes before your eyes, you really learn how precious life is and to just follow your dreams,” she says. Her journey deepened her faith, strengthened her family, and revealed the beauty of a community that showed up, including school families who came to their home during treatment to sing Christmas carols.
Carol began this journey building a house while fighting for her life. Today, she understands she was building something far greater: To live your life with purpose and gratitude.
She is grateful for it all, from the morning sunshine to the cup of matcha, the cozy nights cuddling with her kids watching a movie, walking outdoors with her dogs, and date nights with her husband. Carol and her husband are always looking for ways to give back to the community and to spread awareness and hope. Today, she is healthier than ever, just enjoying life with her family and pursuing all her dreams. The best is yet to come!