Support AshLey’S fight

Update on Ashley as of January 19, 2016: 

It's FINALLY time, Ashley and Randy will travel across the world (5,292 miles) for her stem cell transplant. This would never have been possible without family, friends, neighbors, the church and the community!! This (extremely expensive) procedure will hopefully help her symptoms.  

As many of you already know, ALS is a terminal, horrible disease with the average life span of 2-5 years:(  She is fighting like hell to be here to watch her 4 kids grow up!!

THANKS to everyone that has helped Ashley and her family along the way.  You have no idea how we deeply appreciate everything.  Please keep the PRAYERS coming and donations are still being accepted ( every single penny adds up). I will post updates next week:)
Feel free to share, the more prayers the better!!!


http://www.newschannel5.com/news/local-news/young-mom-with-als-fights-to-survive-with-help-from-friends-and-family

Check out page 5 of the TN Regsiter:

http://www.dioceseofnashville.com/documents/2015/8/tnregister.pdf


The past year has been long and painful, searching for answers to find a diagnosis for Ashley Vickers. One must ask, how does a hard working, young 33 year old mother of four go from being a pediatric nurse in Hermitage, TN and a wedding & event planner, to a mother who can barely find the strength to get out of bed.

Since having her fourth baby last August, Ashley’s health has been in a downward spiral. It has been a real challenge for her, and her loving husband, Randy, the four children, and both families. Randy has been a dedicated employee with UPS for the past 15 years and is currently working long hours to support his family.

Seeing such a drastic change in someone is devastating. Trying to watch her open a jar of baby food, so she can feed one-year-old Knoxx, could bring anyone watching to tears. Each day is a struggle; she cannot take care of her children without help. It is heartbreaking for a mother to have to watch others care for her children

After extensive research and numerous doctor visits at Vanderbilt, Ashley was given the tragic diagnosis of ALS. Not willing to accept these opinions, she visited the Mayo Clinic. Again, the results were unfortunately the same; ALS. 

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

Currently there is no cure for ALS, there is limited treatment, but it can be costly. With a multidisciplinary approach utilizing occupational and physical therapists, speech therapists, nutritionists, and nurse specialists that have led to improved quality of life. We are raising funds to help Ashley maximize her daily routine. Please pray for Ashley and anyone else struggling with ALS.

Ashley rencently visited Boston to participate in a new study for ALS called Precision Medicine.   She is one of 300 people chosen to be in this study run by the ALS TDI center.