In August, just as Ashley was beginning her last year of grad school to be a licensed counselor, a mass was discovered and Ashley was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. In order to address it as quickly as possible, by November Ashley underwent a double mastectomy procedure, and has been in recovery since.

As a mother of 2 children under 5, one of the most difficult parts for Ashley has been the inability to lift and carry her children during her recovery. And as we all know, a battle with cancer can be hard won. Just as Ashley was beginning to believe she might be able to to get back to mothering and get past these hurdles, it was discovered that there were still positive margins, and that she would need yet another surgery to remove it.

She hopes that this will be a swifter recovery, and not being one to give up easily, is racing to finish up her semester of grad school just in time to enter yet another period of surgical recovery, beginning December 22nd.

It is hard to imagine the mental, physical, and emotional toll that this is taking on the Wood family. The meals and childcare that have been voluntarily provided for them along the way, as well as the words of encouragement and constant prayer, have been an immeasurable blessing to them during this time.

But the financial burden may well be the toughest to recover from.

Ashley and Peter are in crucial need as they incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. The total amount to be reimbursed by Christian Healthcare Ministries is completely unknown at this time, but an amount that is non-reimbursable has been estimated and made an overall goal for this fundraiser.

As this recovery has been longer than expected, they are also in very dire need of childcare, specifically for Lilly, who is not yet 2 years old, and needs constant attention and energy from her caregivers at this time.

We hope you will consider Ashley's need as you plan your giving this holiday season, and please check back as I continue provide updates on Ashley's recovery journey. ❤️