Ashley's Lung Transplant Fund
Donation protected
My name is Ashley Leslie. I am currently 21 years old and have beaten cancer twice. In February 2006, I was diagnosed with a rare childhood soft tissue/bone cancer called Ewing Sarcoma. I was 13 years old at the time and underwent chemotherapy and a bone replacement. My bone replacement was in June of 2006 and they removed six inches of bone in my upper left arm and replaced it with a donor bone. After having the bone replacement, I went through more chemotherapy. I was then in remission for two and a half years until December 2008. I was 16 years old and I got the news that my cancer had relapsed. This news was very devastating to my family and me. I went through the battle again. This time I had to go through more intense treatments. I first did more chemotherapy and then in April 2009, I went through a stem cell transplant. Following the transplant, I had to be on isolation for a hundred days. This meant that I had to wear a mask if I went outside and I could only eat packaged food that wasn't opened for more than an hour. After the stem cell transplant, I went through six weeks of radiation and was on a maintenance chemo for a year. I have now been cancer free since June 5th, 2009. Four years!
Now that cancer is behind me, I have developed pulmonary fibrosis which is scaring of the lungs. This is due to the chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, and radiation. I am going to need a double lung transplant due to my lung function being at 20% and decreasing. We are trying to find the right hospital to go to that will accept me as their patient. Due to having cancer twice before, I am a "high risk" patient. I currently go to University of Chicago hospitals and they will not see me due to being high risk. They would like me to be five years a least cancer free and that will not be, according to them, until 2015. They say I was not cancer free until the last day of my last round of chemo, which was in 2010. This has put added expenses due to traveling to other hospitals. We have traveled five and a half hours to see Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. They are still reviewing my case to see if I am eligible for their hospital. I will also be going to Cleveland Clinics in Ohio which is six and a half hours away. Hopefully one of these hospitals will accept my case, since they do more high risk patients. I will then be evaluated and put on the transplant list. My insurance does not cover all of the expenses a double lung transplant will cost. The cost for the organ and donor part is $100,000.00. Which the insurance company is only covering $15,000.00, so out of our pocket is $85,000.00. The flight when the donor is available is $8,000.00, which the insurance company will cover. So I am asking for any donations that you could provide. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated. Please keep me in your prayers. Thanks again!
<3 Ashley
Update: I am now 22 years old and five and a half years cancer free! I have found a hospital that will accept me on their lung transplant program, which is Cleveland Clinics in Ohio. They have decided that they will not be able to do a double lung transplant due to too many complications. They put me on the lung transplant list Monday, January 12th, 2015 for a single right lung transplant. Due to having a single now instead of a double, the cost will be decreased. The single is $50,000 for organ and donor procurment charges and the insurance will be paying $15,000. Also, I will have 10% of medical costs. up to $7,500 per year. I am calculating this charge for two years, which totals $15,000. I also will have perscription costs for the rest of my life. I will have to live in Cleveland for three and a half months after transplant, if all goes well. If there are complications, it will be longer. I will have to travel back and forth monthly for the first year for checkups. So please pray for me that I recover quickly! I can't thank everyone enough for all the generous donations I have already received. It is very much appreciated. Thank you for all your support! You guys are awesome!
Now that cancer is behind me, I have developed pulmonary fibrosis which is scaring of the lungs. This is due to the chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, and radiation. I am going to need a double lung transplant due to my lung function being at 20% and decreasing. We are trying to find the right hospital to go to that will accept me as their patient. Due to having cancer twice before, I am a "high risk" patient. I currently go to University of Chicago hospitals and they will not see me due to being high risk. They would like me to be five years a least cancer free and that will not be, according to them, until 2015. They say I was not cancer free until the last day of my last round of chemo, which was in 2010. This has put added expenses due to traveling to other hospitals. We have traveled five and a half hours to see Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. They are still reviewing my case to see if I am eligible for their hospital. I will also be going to Cleveland Clinics in Ohio which is six and a half hours away. Hopefully one of these hospitals will accept my case, since they do more high risk patients. I will then be evaluated and put on the transplant list. My insurance does not cover all of the expenses a double lung transplant will cost. The cost for the organ and donor part is $100,000.00. Which the insurance company is only covering $15,000.00, so out of our pocket is $85,000.00. The flight when the donor is available is $8,000.00, which the insurance company will cover. So I am asking for any donations that you could provide. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated. Please keep me in your prayers. Thanks again!
<3 Ashley
Update: I am now 22 years old and five and a half years cancer free! I have found a hospital that will accept me on their lung transplant program, which is Cleveland Clinics in Ohio. They have decided that they will not be able to do a double lung transplant due to too many complications. They put me on the lung transplant list Monday, January 12th, 2015 for a single right lung transplant. Due to having a single now instead of a double, the cost will be decreased. The single is $50,000 for organ and donor procurment charges and the insurance will be paying $15,000. Also, I will have 10% of medical costs. up to $7,500 per year. I am calculating this charge for two years, which totals $15,000. I also will have perscription costs for the rest of my life. I will have to live in Cleveland for three and a half months after transplant, if all goes well. If there are complications, it will be longer. I will have to travel back and forth monthly for the first year for checkups. So please pray for me that I recover quickly! I can't thank everyone enough for all the generous donations I have already received. It is very much appreciated. Thank you for all your support! You guys are awesome!
Organizer
Ashley Leslie
Organizer
McHenry, IL
