Just before Ashley’s second birthday, she stopped eating, developed a fever and began to have difficulty walking. Her parents took her to the doctor, who said nothing serious was wrong.
Ashley’s mom, Patricia, though, had mother’s intuition. “I felt that wasn’t right,” she said. “There was something more.” Ashley’s parents took her to a local children’s hospital, where she underwent blood work. Soon, tests showed Ashley had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer.
St. Jude patient Ashley and her brother
Ashley responded well to treatment. Even though there were difficult times, she always looked forward to visiting the hospital. “When she was at St. Jude, there were games to play and she always got little prizes,” said Patricia.
Ashley with her dad
St. Jude provided us transportation to the hospital, they provided meals, they provided everything, and they never charged us for anything. It was a relief.
Today, Ashley is done with treatment and visits St. Jude for regular checkups. She loves to play with her older brother and sister, dance and color. She’ll be in first grade this fall.
St. Jude patient Ashley with her mom
“We’re so thankful to everyone who supports St. Jude,” said Patricia. “St. Jude gave us hope, hope for Ashley to live a long life full of love.”
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