Help Ashley fight ovarian cancer

Venmo @AshleynCarr

08/16/2023 UPDATE:

Since recovering from surgery Ashley & Brandon were referred to Duke Fertility to start emergency egg retrieval immediately. After about 2 weeks of making MANY trips up to Duke for labs and ultrasounds, administering shots to herself, and taking specific medication, retrieval day finally came! They retrieved 30 eggs from her left ovary. 26 of them at the correct size to move onto the next step. After fertilization and a few days of growth 13 were left to keep going. As of today they have 4 embryos frozen to use with a gestational carrier later down the road. There are still a few days left to potentially have add a couple more if they get to size to biopsy.

Today Ashley started her chemo journey. She will do a total of 6 rounds but one every 3 weeks. After her 3rd round they will schedule her hysterectomy and removal of her other ovary. Once healed from that she will continue her chemo treatments. She is strong and in good spirits. This will be a rough road ahead but I know Ashley’s tough. Thank you again for all the kind words, prayers, and donations! It means more to our family than you will ever know!

Dear Family and Friends,

I am writing this on the behalf of my beautiful, strong, and amazing sister Ashley. She is someone who lights up a room as soon as she walks in and is a friend to many. She is someone who is always willing to give a helping hand to anyone that needs it. Anyone that knows her knows what it is like to feel loved just by being in her presence.

I am doing this fundraiser in hopes to relieve some of their medical bills during this hard time. Two weeks ago Ashley was in excruciating pain which led her to go to the emergency room. From there the doctors discovered a large mass on her right ovary. This was just the start of what seems like a never ending journey for Ashley. The doctor informed her that surgery would be needed and they would not know anything further until they operated. She has been struggling with infertility as well so the thought of the unknown and possibly having to have all of her reproductive system removed was absolutely devastating. 

Ashley received surgery July 13th at 7:40am and was not out of surgery until 3:00pm that day. While under the doctors discovered that in fact her mass was cancerous and removed her right ovary and right tube. They also discovered that she had endometriosis and removed all of that as well. The next steps for her surgery were to biopsy other parts of her body to determine what stage cancer she was in. Ashley was discharged from the hospital a couple of days after surgery only to go home and have to wait on her results. On Wednesday Ashley received a phone call informing her that she was in stage one ovarian cancer and would have the option to be seen at Duke for a possible egg retrieval before having all of her reproductive system removed so the cancer does not spread to the rest of her body.

Anyone that knows Ashley knows how much she has always wanted to have kids. She is the best Auntie to both of my babies and if anyone is meant to be a momma it is her. This recovery and the weeks ahead are going to be challenging for her. Ashley is mentally and physically exhausted. Her next steps after healing from her surgery will be to be seen at Duke to determine the next steps in moving forward in hopes to have a baby or possible egg retrieval. She will still have to undergo multiple rounds of chemo as well and have surgery to remove the remaining parts of her reproductive system in a couple months.

Ashley has always been there for me no matter what and to see her have to go through all of this absolutely breaks my heart. I know Ashley has impacted many lives and I know I am not the only one she has always been there for. Not only is she an amazing sister but she is also an amazing friend to have. I am hoping this fundraiser will help relieve some of the bills that arise during this journey. Please join me in supporting Ashley during her ovarian cancer battle.

Thank you for all the kind words, prayers, and support thus far for Ashley as well as our family. We will continue to need prayers as she moves forward with the next steps in her recovery.