In January of 2025, Ashley and Edward welcomed their first child Lily into the world at 34 weeks. Like many new parents, Ashley and Edward were navigating the joys and challenges of caring for a newborn while Ashley was adjusting to the many physical changes that come after pregnancy. In the months that followed, Ashley began experiencing unusual symptoms. Nothing pointed clearly to a specific diagnosis, but one finding continued to appear: elevated prolactin levels. She sought answers from multiple medical providers and was given several possible explanations, including medication side effects and even PCOS, despite having no clear indicators of the condition. The recommendation was simply to take medication to lower the prolactin levels.

But Ashley felt there had to be more to the story.

As life became busy with a growing family, those symptoms were pushed to the background. In August of 2025 Ashley's grandmother passed away, that same day Ashley found out she was pregnant. Unfortunately the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. Again in April of 2026, Ashley suffered a another miscarriage. Sometime between the two miscarriages, her symptoms became more pronounced and began to change. Just a few short weeks ago Ashley decided that she was going to push harder for answers again. Her new OB listened and immediately referred her to the Breast Center in Edina. From there, events moved quickly. The referral was sent on a Thursday. The Breast Center called the very next day and scheduled a mammogram and ultrasound for the following Monday. The mammogram revealed three areas of concern. The ultrasound provided a closer look and identified two lesions. A biopsy was recommended.

Like many patients facing the unknown, Ashley tried to hold onto hope. The ultrasound technician reassured her that she often saw findings like these often and that they were likely papilloma's—benign growths that could be removed through a relatively simple procedure. The biopsy took place that Thursday. The recovery was unexpectedly difficult and painful. Ashley was told it would take three to five business days to receive the results. 

The following Monday, she received a notification that her pathology report was available online, but that her care team had not yet reviewed it. Faced with pages of medical terminology that seemed impossible to understand, she did something many people might do in today's world—she copied the report into ChatGPT and asked for help translating the medical language.

The answer was devastating. It indicated that the pathology report was consistent with breast cancer. Ashley tried not to panic. Artificial intelligence is not a doctor, and she hoped it was wrong. Just a few hours later, her phone rang. The call confirmed her worst fear. Ashley had breast cancer.

The one encouraging piece of news was that it had been caught at the earliest possible stage. Her doctor explained that had she waited even six more months to pursue answers, the conversation could have been dramatically different. Her determination to continue searching for answers may have changed the course of her future.

Ashley's journey ahead is significant. Due to the nature of the lesions that were discovered, surgery is necessary. The only option that can provide the greatest assurance that the cancer will not return, and that Ashley and Edward can continue on with their dreams of expanding their family is a double mastectomy possibly followed by radiation therapy. She currently has appointments scheduled with specialists at both the Piper Breast Center at Abbott Northwestern and Fairview's Breast Center. These consultations will help determine the safest path forward, answer critical questions, discuss risks, and establish a surgical plan.

What is already known is that Ashley is expected to be out of work for approximately 8–12 weeks while recovering from the extensive surgery. For a young family with a toddler at home, this creates a tremendous financial burden. Between lost income, medical expenses, travel to appointments, and everyday household costs, the coming months will be challenging.

We are asking for your support so Ashley can focus on what matters most: healing, recovery, and spending precious time with her family instead of worrying about how the bills will be paid. Any contribution, no matter the size, will help ease the financial strain during this difficult season. If you are unable to donate, sharing Ashley's story with others would mean just as much.

Thank you for your kindness, your prayers, your encouragement, and your support. Together, we can help Ashley focus on fighting cancer and returning to the people who love and need her most.