Ashley Roozen Mena

Dear Friends and Family,
 
Cancer does not rest. It is relentless.  Wealthy or poor, educated or illiterate, young or old, it never discriminates.  Cancer has no friends, no allies, and no comrades. It leaves a path of destruction. Cancer is the true definition of tragedy.  However, out of tragedy, inspiration is born.  Out of tragedy, we find our true inner strength and, out of tragedy, we defy the odds.  
 
With her permission, Ashley has entrusted me to share her story.  As many of you are aware, she has not been feeling well for the past 3 months. She has had ultrasounds, CT scans and MRI’s to determine the cause of her fatigue, persistent night sweats, unbearable abdominal pain, and unintentional weight loss.  She has been stuck so many times for specialty blood work and tumor markers.  Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, some of our worst fears came alive when multiple lesions were found specifically in Ash’s liver and other areas of her body.  Her CA-125 tumor marker was also elevated, which is associated with ovarian cancer.  Although this is not a definitive diagnosis at this time, we are apprehensive about the further results and the treatment plan ahead.
 
It is devastatingly painful to write this to everyone but all of you who know Ashley, whether it be from Mount Vernon, Washington, Oregon, Chapman University, or the infamous Running Lab, you know that she would never ask anyone for financial assistance.  However, as her best friend and maid of honor, I feel it is my duty to reach out to all of our friends and family to ask for your help.  Any donation would benefit Ash and Miguel, and their sweet babies Evelyn 2 years old, and Bernadette 9 months old.  We are very hopeful for Ashley’s strength in battling this cancer and are continuously praying for a road to recovery. 
 
All donations will go directly to Ashley and Miguel Mena to help with medical expenses and financial hardship during this difficult time.
 
Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns in regards to this message and thank you for your time, support and prayers for Ashley and her family.  We will continue to update you on Ashley’s story and progress as more information is known.
 
To my bestest mate, you are an inspiration to us all and I love you very much.
 
Sincerely,
Danielle Leaf