Hi, my name is Gary, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my wife, Ashley. We are a family of seven and have five boys who look to Ashley for everything. Watching her go through this has been one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to face.

While creating a GoFundMe wasn’t something we felt comfortable doing, especially with the big holiday season approaching, we were super reluctant and tried to avoid it as much as possible. Asking for help just really isn’t in our nature. Life however, has put us in a position where we’ve had to set our pride aside and accept that we can’t get through this alone. We truly need all the support we can get.

On September 18th, Ashley went in for her very first mammogram after noticing a lump in her breast. We prayed it would be nothing, but the test showed something suspicious, and they scheduled her for a needle biopsy on October 1st. The results came back showing abnormal tissue, and her doctors recommended a lumpectomy.

On October 29th, Ashley had her first lumpectomy. A week later is when we got the news we were hoping never to hear — they found cancer.

Ashley is only 38 years old. She’s young, active, and the heart of our home. Nobody ever expects to hear the word “cancer,” especially at that age, and it’s been devastating for all of us to watch her struggle with something no one should have to face so young.

After reviewing her pathology, her medical team told us they needed to go back in and remove additional tissue. So on November 14th, Ashley went in for a second lumpectomy. Even after two surgeries, her doctors are still preparing us for the real possibility of more surgery and treatments ahead. The amount of uncertainty we’re facing as a family has been overwhelming.

All of Ashley’s appointments are an hour away, and with surgeries, follow-ups, and everything else coming, she has had to miss a lot of work. With the gas, travel, and the loss of income, it has hit us hard, especially with a big family to take care of. As a husband and father, I’m doing everything I can to keep things steady at home, but this has become an incredibly difficult time in our life.

I am starting this GoFundMe to help cover:

• Ashley’s lost wages during surgery recovery and treatment.

• Gas and travel costs for her appointments.

• Additional expenses related to her upcoming surgeries and treatments.

• The basic needs for our home and our five boys as we move through this journey together.

Watching my wife fight cancer while worrying about how we’re going to stay afloat financially has been heartbreaking.

Any support — big or small — will help take pressure off her so she can focus on healing instead of stressing about bills and lost income.

Even if you can’t donate, saying a prayer or sharing this helps more than you know.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading this, for caring, for praying, and for supporting our family during this incredibly tough time. Your kindness means more than words can express.