Ashley 38 Battling Heart Failure after Transplant
Donation protected
Hi everyone, my name is Sherelle and I'm reaching out with a sincere request for my brother in law Ashley and his beautiful little family. They're facing a daunting and horrendous battle against heart failure, and any support you can offer will make a world of difference.
Ashley's Journey:
In his early twenties, Ashley's life changed when he was diagnosed with an genetic heart condition – Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. He bravely fought on with an implanted defibrillator.
In 2015, his condition significantly worsened, leading to a 6-month critical care stay at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham at which he received a miraculous heart transplant in February 2016 at the young age of 30. We're eternally grateful to his donor and medical team who saved his life!
This gave Ashley a new lease on life. He is the bravest and most determined person I know. He embraced family life with his partner, his son who was just 5 years old at the time and his baby daughter aged just 5 months. Ashley is courageous and resilient and fought his way back to good health. He returned to work, got fit and returned to his passion of motorbikes and even completed the 24 hour Iron Man Dusk to Dawn Bike Race in August 2022, which shows how strong and healthy he was.
Life was good and family life was full of fun and laughter. They bought their first home and planned to renovate the house and move into it as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, later that year brought new challenges when Ashley's health started to deteriorate again, where he suffered huge bouts of exhaustion, palpitations and constant pain, he continued to work full time but was in and out of hospital regularly. He was determined not to let his poor health beat him.
In May 2023, Ashley received another devastating blow: heart failure. His heart function dropped to 50%, and he experienced significant pain, liver issues, and blood clots in his legs, kidneys and heart.
Ashley spent several weeks in the heart transplant unit again and just a few days after he was discharged home in June, we rushed him back into hospital after he had a seizure. He fitted again with the crash team and had to be rushed to theatre to have an emergency pacemaker fitted to save his life again!
Despite his unwavering spirit, the impact on his health and work has been devastating. Ashley's life will never be the same, he is now unable to do so many things that we all take for granted such as running or kicking a football around with his children. He's had to sell his motorbike and give up his love of riding and has made so many more sacrifices already in life. Their lives have been turned upside down, having to leave their full time jobs as simple daily tasks are now chores for Ashley and life is tough. Adding to their struggles, their dream of renovating and moving into their new home is still on hold over 2 years later due to financial strain on the family on top of more unexpected house problems (leaks, damp, hollow floors and 2 recent floods) all whilst Ashley's condition must take priority.
Their little family has been through enough pain, trauma and stress to last them a lifetime. Ashley is a warrior and I know he won't let this beat him but a little bit of help is needed to ease the way as best as we can.
Why We Need Your Help:
Your contributions will help Ashley focus on his health and ongoing battle with heart failure, alleviating financial worries associated with:
- Weekly Specialised doctor visits at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham (no heart transplant unit in Wales)
- Potential medical procedures and medications
- Home essentials due to their current situation. We aim to support Ashley's fight and help them create a secure, comfortable home for their family.
No Matter How Small, You Can Make a Difference:
- Please donate what you can. Your compassion will uplift their spirits and show them they're not alone and that people genuinely care.
- Any funds exceeding their needs will be donated to the British Heart Foundation.
- If you're not in a position to donate, just sharing Ashley’s story with your friends and families will also be a huge help.
Together, we can help Ashley write another inspiring chapter in his journey. Thank you for your support in his fight against heart failure and life's challenges. This means the world to Ashley and his beautiful little family. Their strength working through this is honestly and truly an inspiration to everyone.
Please help if you can ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Organizer
Sherelle Jago
Organizer
Wales