Ashlie Kicks Cancer!
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WHO ARE WE?
We are the community of Ashlie Knight.
To each of us, Ashlie is a beloved friend, steadfast confidant, and devoted sidekick for the craziest of adventures. She is a champion, counselor, home decorator, personal stylist, and miracle chef. She has been there for us in the worst crisis, has stood by our side for our most triumphant of victories, has comforted our sobs in the middle of the darkest nights, and has giggled with us into the earliest of dawn's hours.
To others, she has given herself in equally deep ways. As a daughter and a sister, she loves fiercely and loyally. No on in the family would dare challenge her charades abilites. As a school counselor, she has invested herself mightily in the lives of the children. She has given of herself in so many ways for over 40 years.
WHAT HAPPENED?
And now she is fighting cancer. Two years ago, she was discovered to have stage 4 colon cancer, and after a dramatic surgery with 3 surgeons and many hours, they took a tumor the size of a grapefruit out of her. She lost all but 10" of her colon, some of her bladder, all of her reproductive organs, and her appendix. She underwent intensive chemo for 6 months, with the hope that the cancer was completely beaten. But just a few months after that, the cancer did return, forcing her to quit the job she loved so much and go on disability.
Now she has been fighting it again, with another round of even more rigorous chemo. Still, a recent scan (March 2016) has shown a new mass on the wall of her abdomenal muscle. Another spot of cancer is on her pelvic bone. These locations cause radiating pain in her back and legs. The cancer and chemo treatments in general exacerbate the fibromyalgia from which Ashlie has already suffered, so that she experiences acute pain throughout her body at all times.
WHY DOES SHE NEED HELP?
She'd like to pursue alternative treatments. However, her very limited finances have prevented her from engaging in any of them so far. That is what this GoFundMe account is all about!
In the past, accupuncture and therapeutic massage have proved very successful in treating her body pain. She would like to resume these treatments. She has also received approval for 8 aqua therapies at a treatment pool here in Hagerstown, and if those are also successful, Ashlie would love the privilege of continuing to swim and receive therapy.
Ashlie has been researching other ways of reducing inflammation in her body, and has found that eating a "clean" diet filled with organic foods can not only lessen her pain, but will very likely enable her body to fight the cancer! Of course, organic kale costs a lot more than cheap processed foods, so that puts a strain on the budget as well.
One of her best friends has given her many essential oils, and Ashlie would like to continue to research the oils and also other natural supplements that will contribute to her overall health.
Ashlie would like to see a trainer to help combat muscle wastage. She has even found someone, an old family friend, who works at Gold's Gym and has researched low-impact work-out routines that will help Ashlie slowly build up her endurance. Ashlie often feels very weak and powerless and even the slightest improvement in this area would greatly impact her outlook and overall morale.
Ashlie would like to continue to attend yoga classes, especially "gentle" yoga to lengthen and strengthen her muscles and also contribute to an improved outlook. Ashlie has struggled to find a "mission" or focus during this time of recovery. While attending a support group for people suffering from chronic pain, it occurred to her that she might learn more about teaching yoga to people who are hurting. She feels that her unique gifts, in being so intuitive and sensitive to peoples' emotions, and also understanding -- physically -- how hard it can be to live with chronic pain, would make her ideally suited to ministering to people with this struggle. If she could become strong enough, Ashlie would love to use some resources to train in receiving her yoga certification. Being able to feed into Ashlie's new life calling is critical in helping her to build long-term goals and look forward to an exciting future!
"Get busy living or get busy dying!" Ashlie has a renewed energy to embrace life. Have you heard she is now a dog owner? :) When opportunities might present, Ashlie would love to travel to visit family and friends, and possibly even take a few of those never-planned vacations. We know these trips would feed into her soul. If you support her, we'd like you to know that surely most of any funds would go to treatments and food. But a small portion would go into her travel fund as well. No, she won't be jet-setting around the globe every weekend. Quite sadly, her every-other-week chemos won't allow that, and the weakness that she feels in her body have not yet allowed even one exciting getaway. But we are counting on these alternative therapies to transform her into a picture of health! So hopefully she'll be tanned before the GoFundMe project comes to a close, and she's right back at work. ;)
So how much *exactly* does she need? Clearly, from the wide array of expenditures, this is an ongoing situation and it's a little hard to pinpoint. Ashlie has already incurred a good bit of medical debt without even pursuing any additional treatments. We have chosen $6,500 to represent approximately $500 a month for a year. She is *absolutely* willing to be accountable for every dime; we are really finding our way here and a little unsure how to define everything here on GoFundMe, so feel free to give us feedback as well. The bottom line is that her budget is very tight right now and she does not have ANY extra money for alternative medicine. She is on disability and has Medicaid and it only pays for the most base treatments.
SUMMING UP
From day to day, there is a sense of helplessness that often accompanies the cancer fight, and you can see this sometimes eating away at Ashlie. You are a victim of sorts. But Ashlie has a very, very strong heart, and she needs us to hold up her arms, so to speak, in several important ways, and most of them are not even financial. She needs us to:
1. PRAY - And not just for her, but *with* her. Call and pray with her, post prayers on social media, post prayers here, pray with her when you see her. Let's surround her with heavenly words.
2. DON'T FORGET HER - Ashlie sometimes feels like she is in a little lost island all to herself. Everyone else's day is churning-- a big, wonderful, whirling world she isn't part of anymore. Remind her that she is an *intensely* important part of your life!!!
3. BOLSTER HER - Maybe a meal, maybe an afternoon together, a craft project, a cute card, walking her dog for her or taking her for a drive or bringing her lunch. Be there for her.
There was a time, right after the surgery, after the shock had worn off, when I think we were all telling ourselves that there was NO CHANCE this would not be "totally ok." And the reality is, Ashlie is in a very serious fight. One that is NOT going to be won, quite honestly, by chemo alone.
So many times we have heard the doctors say, that Ashlie's amazing outlook, that her youth and inner strength, her FAITH, are all big reasons that she will "make it."
But there are many days when Ashlie is discouraged, and beaten down, and hurting. It is time for us, her community, to rise up and lift her up. I think of how the body of Christ works in Scripture, how we read in I Corinthians 12 how we are all part of one body, and (verse 26), "If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad."
Also in Ecclesiastes 4, verse 10, we are told how two people can help each other, "For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up."
I pray we can lift Ashlie up, and in doing so, can encourage both her heart, her soul, and her body! For we are ONE!
~Ashlie's Friends and Family, and St. James Brethren Church
We are the community of Ashlie Knight.
To each of us, Ashlie is a beloved friend, steadfast confidant, and devoted sidekick for the craziest of adventures. She is a champion, counselor, home decorator, personal stylist, and miracle chef. She has been there for us in the worst crisis, has stood by our side for our most triumphant of victories, has comforted our sobs in the middle of the darkest nights, and has giggled with us into the earliest of dawn's hours.
To others, she has given herself in equally deep ways. As a daughter and a sister, she loves fiercely and loyally. No on in the family would dare challenge her charades abilites. As a school counselor, she has invested herself mightily in the lives of the children. She has given of herself in so many ways for over 40 years.
WHAT HAPPENED?
And now she is fighting cancer. Two years ago, she was discovered to have stage 4 colon cancer, and after a dramatic surgery with 3 surgeons and many hours, they took a tumor the size of a grapefruit out of her. She lost all but 10" of her colon, some of her bladder, all of her reproductive organs, and her appendix. She underwent intensive chemo for 6 months, with the hope that the cancer was completely beaten. But just a few months after that, the cancer did return, forcing her to quit the job she loved so much and go on disability.
Now she has been fighting it again, with another round of even more rigorous chemo. Still, a recent scan (March 2016) has shown a new mass on the wall of her abdomenal muscle. Another spot of cancer is on her pelvic bone. These locations cause radiating pain in her back and legs. The cancer and chemo treatments in general exacerbate the fibromyalgia from which Ashlie has already suffered, so that she experiences acute pain throughout her body at all times.
WHY DOES SHE NEED HELP?
She'd like to pursue alternative treatments. However, her very limited finances have prevented her from engaging in any of them so far. That is what this GoFundMe account is all about!
In the past, accupuncture and therapeutic massage have proved very successful in treating her body pain. She would like to resume these treatments. She has also received approval for 8 aqua therapies at a treatment pool here in Hagerstown, and if those are also successful, Ashlie would love the privilege of continuing to swim and receive therapy.
Ashlie has been researching other ways of reducing inflammation in her body, and has found that eating a "clean" diet filled with organic foods can not only lessen her pain, but will very likely enable her body to fight the cancer! Of course, organic kale costs a lot more than cheap processed foods, so that puts a strain on the budget as well.
One of her best friends has given her many essential oils, and Ashlie would like to continue to research the oils and also other natural supplements that will contribute to her overall health.
Ashlie would like to see a trainer to help combat muscle wastage. She has even found someone, an old family friend, who works at Gold's Gym and has researched low-impact work-out routines that will help Ashlie slowly build up her endurance. Ashlie often feels very weak and powerless and even the slightest improvement in this area would greatly impact her outlook and overall morale.
Ashlie would like to continue to attend yoga classes, especially "gentle" yoga to lengthen and strengthen her muscles and also contribute to an improved outlook. Ashlie has struggled to find a "mission" or focus during this time of recovery. While attending a support group for people suffering from chronic pain, it occurred to her that she might learn more about teaching yoga to people who are hurting. She feels that her unique gifts, in being so intuitive and sensitive to peoples' emotions, and also understanding -- physically -- how hard it can be to live with chronic pain, would make her ideally suited to ministering to people with this struggle. If she could become strong enough, Ashlie would love to use some resources to train in receiving her yoga certification. Being able to feed into Ashlie's new life calling is critical in helping her to build long-term goals and look forward to an exciting future!
"Get busy living or get busy dying!" Ashlie has a renewed energy to embrace life. Have you heard she is now a dog owner? :) When opportunities might present, Ashlie would love to travel to visit family and friends, and possibly even take a few of those never-planned vacations. We know these trips would feed into her soul. If you support her, we'd like you to know that surely most of any funds would go to treatments and food. But a small portion would go into her travel fund as well. No, she won't be jet-setting around the globe every weekend. Quite sadly, her every-other-week chemos won't allow that, and the weakness that she feels in her body have not yet allowed even one exciting getaway. But we are counting on these alternative therapies to transform her into a picture of health! So hopefully she'll be tanned before the GoFundMe project comes to a close, and she's right back at work. ;)
So how much *exactly* does she need? Clearly, from the wide array of expenditures, this is an ongoing situation and it's a little hard to pinpoint. Ashlie has already incurred a good bit of medical debt without even pursuing any additional treatments. We have chosen $6,500 to represent approximately $500 a month for a year. She is *absolutely* willing to be accountable for every dime; we are really finding our way here and a little unsure how to define everything here on GoFundMe, so feel free to give us feedback as well. The bottom line is that her budget is very tight right now and she does not have ANY extra money for alternative medicine. She is on disability and has Medicaid and it only pays for the most base treatments.
SUMMING UP
From day to day, there is a sense of helplessness that often accompanies the cancer fight, and you can see this sometimes eating away at Ashlie. You are a victim of sorts. But Ashlie has a very, very strong heart, and she needs us to hold up her arms, so to speak, in several important ways, and most of them are not even financial. She needs us to:
1. PRAY - And not just for her, but *with* her. Call and pray with her, post prayers on social media, post prayers here, pray with her when you see her. Let's surround her with heavenly words.
2. DON'T FORGET HER - Ashlie sometimes feels like she is in a little lost island all to herself. Everyone else's day is churning-- a big, wonderful, whirling world she isn't part of anymore. Remind her that she is an *intensely* important part of your life!!!
3. BOLSTER HER - Maybe a meal, maybe an afternoon together, a craft project, a cute card, walking her dog for her or taking her for a drive or bringing her lunch. Be there for her.
There was a time, right after the surgery, after the shock had worn off, when I think we were all telling ourselves that there was NO CHANCE this would not be "totally ok." And the reality is, Ashlie is in a very serious fight. One that is NOT going to be won, quite honestly, by chemo alone.
So many times we have heard the doctors say, that Ashlie's amazing outlook, that her youth and inner strength, her FAITH, are all big reasons that she will "make it."
But there are many days when Ashlie is discouraged, and beaten down, and hurting. It is time for us, her community, to rise up and lift her up. I think of how the body of Christ works in Scripture, how we read in I Corinthians 12 how we are all part of one body, and (verse 26), "If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad."
Also in Ecclesiastes 4, verse 10, we are told how two people can help each other, "For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up."
I pray we can lift Ashlie up, and in doing so, can encourage both her heart, her soul, and her body! For we are ONE!
~Ashlie's Friends and Family, and St. James Brethren Church
Organizer
Ashlie Knight
Organizer
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