Our Fight Against Cancer
Donativo protegido
My name is Ashlee Blair, I am a Mother to 3 beautiful children, Amelia is four, little Peter is three and in 2016 our youngest, Conor was born.
I live in Greenisland with my wonderful partner Peter and as well as look after the children (which is a full time job in itself) I work as a care assistant looking after elderly and vulnerable people with Dementia and Alzheimers.
My life was as perfect as life can be. I was raising a beautiful family with the man I loved and even though I had already achieved so much at only 28 I looked forward to the future with my wonderful family. We had no idea that soon, our lives would be thrown into turmoil.
In October 2016 I found a lump in my breast.
Then in December I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer.
There are no words to describe how we felt when we heard the doctor say it, I became so scared and worried for my kids.
It was beyond surreal, one day I was planning a family Christmas and the next I've been diagnosed with Cancer.
My joy and happiness replaced by fear and uncertainty.
After the initial shock wave dissipated and my head stopped spinning, I looked at my kids and I knew I could not give up, they were counting on me, they needed their Mum to be strong and fight back.
So in January 2017 I began Chemotherapy which was very hard, it took such a toll on me. I was constantly sick, all my hair fell out and I didn't even have have the energy to play with the kids. That's who I was doing this for and I couldn't even play with them, I was devastated but I still didn't give up, even when I had to have a double mastectomy on top of everything I was already dealing with.
My body and spirit was broken but if I could pull through this and be there for my children it would all be worth it. That was what I held onto through all of it. That is what kept me strong.
In 2018 I began to recover, My family was so proud of me. I had endured the pain of Chemotherapy and Radiography and came out the other end. The physical and mental scars of my double mastectomy had started to heal.
My hope for the future was returning and I had returned to work as a care assistant but most importantly, I was beginning to feel like a mum again.
I could lift up my children and play with them, that was all I had wanted the whole time, seeing their happy smiling faces almost made me forget the fear I had felt before but again this happiness was not to last.
Later in the year I began to struggle with back and abdominal pain and in July I had to undergo surgery once again to remove an Ovary, a growth on my pelvis and other growths throughout my body.
These turned out to be benign and in August 2018 I celebrated being one year cancer free, I finally dared to hope again, it seemed as though my life would now continue on the intended course, I could watch my children flourish and I could leave Cancer behind me.
But the back pain increased and then I found a lump under my arm, I developed rib pain and sadly, the week before Christmas, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer, from my neck down my spine including my ribs, pelvis, hips and femurs.
Again, there are no words to describe how completely soul crushing it was to hear this. I felt as though I was being punished for daring to hope.
We have started this fundraiser because my Oncologist has given me 12-24 but I would like to explore some alternative therapies to use alongside my Chemotherapy.
We are also asking for help with the costs of myself being off work and in the foreseeable future my partner Peter also being off work so he can look after me.
I am currently in the hospital as my pain has grown to unmanageable levels but I hope to be home again with my family soon.
I just want to watch my babies grow for as long as I possibly can. My family and I would be very grateful to you if you could help me achieve that by donating to our fight.
If I were to pass on whilst fighting against this then I would like the donations to go towards my funeral cost and the rest for my kids.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you all.
Ashlee
I live in Greenisland with my wonderful partner Peter and as well as look after the children (which is a full time job in itself) I work as a care assistant looking after elderly and vulnerable people with Dementia and Alzheimers.
My life was as perfect as life can be. I was raising a beautiful family with the man I loved and even though I had already achieved so much at only 28 I looked forward to the future with my wonderful family. We had no idea that soon, our lives would be thrown into turmoil.
In October 2016 I found a lump in my breast.
Then in December I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer.
There are no words to describe how we felt when we heard the doctor say it, I became so scared and worried for my kids.
It was beyond surreal, one day I was planning a family Christmas and the next I've been diagnosed with Cancer.
My joy and happiness replaced by fear and uncertainty.
After the initial shock wave dissipated and my head stopped spinning, I looked at my kids and I knew I could not give up, they were counting on me, they needed their Mum to be strong and fight back.
So in January 2017 I began Chemotherapy which was very hard, it took such a toll on me. I was constantly sick, all my hair fell out and I didn't even have have the energy to play with the kids. That's who I was doing this for and I couldn't even play with them, I was devastated but I still didn't give up, even when I had to have a double mastectomy on top of everything I was already dealing with.
My body and spirit was broken but if I could pull through this and be there for my children it would all be worth it. That was what I held onto through all of it. That is what kept me strong.
In 2018 I began to recover, My family was so proud of me. I had endured the pain of Chemotherapy and Radiography and came out the other end. The physical and mental scars of my double mastectomy had started to heal.
My hope for the future was returning and I had returned to work as a care assistant but most importantly, I was beginning to feel like a mum again.
I could lift up my children and play with them, that was all I had wanted the whole time, seeing their happy smiling faces almost made me forget the fear I had felt before but again this happiness was not to last.
Later in the year I began to struggle with back and abdominal pain and in July I had to undergo surgery once again to remove an Ovary, a growth on my pelvis and other growths throughout my body.
These turned out to be benign and in August 2018 I celebrated being one year cancer free, I finally dared to hope again, it seemed as though my life would now continue on the intended course, I could watch my children flourish and I could leave Cancer behind me.
But the back pain increased and then I found a lump under my arm, I developed rib pain and sadly, the week before Christmas, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer, from my neck down my spine including my ribs, pelvis, hips and femurs.
Again, there are no words to describe how completely soul crushing it was to hear this. I felt as though I was being punished for daring to hope.
We have started this fundraiser because my Oncologist has given me 12-24 but I would like to explore some alternative therapies to use alongside my Chemotherapy.
We are also asking for help with the costs of myself being off work and in the foreseeable future my partner Peter also being off work so he can look after me.
I am currently in the hospital as my pain has grown to unmanageable levels but I hope to be home again with my family soon.
I just want to watch my babies grow for as long as I possibly can. My family and I would be very grateful to you if you could help me achieve that by donating to our fight.
If I were to pass on whilst fighting against this then I would like the donations to go towards my funeral cost and the rest for my kids.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you all.
Ashlee
Equipo de recaudación de fondos: Ashlees Army (3)
Sambo Yoko
Organizador
Michelle Monkman
Team member
Pete Allen
Team member
