Ashley Beth Gaines
Ashley was born on November 16, 1989 in Syracuse, NY. She was the daughter of David and Melanie Gaines and sister to David II. Ashley and her family moved to Pawleys Island, SC in 1995 where Ashley truly made her mark. She graduated from Waccamaw High School in 2007 where she was a member of the soccer team, the tennis team, and a member of the Key Club. She was homecoming princess her Sophomore and Junior years and was homecoming queen her Senior year. She was nominated for prom queen, but was unable to attend due to her illness. Ashley was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, where she was involved with Teens for Christ. Ashley planned on attending the College of Charleston.
In April 2007, Ashley Gaines 17, was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and began to fight this cancer with her family, friends, and an entire community behind her. The Gaines family developed The Ashley G Charitable Foundation after experiencing this devastating diagnosis, many treatments including 2 bone marrow transplants, and endless days in the hospital fighting.
Ashley began her treatment at the Medical University of South Carolina. After many chemotherapy treatments, Ashley was transferred to Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian to undergo a bone marrow transplant under the care of Dr. Mitchell Cairo and his elite team.
Although Ashley spent many days and nights in the hospital throughout her battle with cancer, she quickly made it known that she was going to make friends with other patients and try to make them feel more comfortable and confident while facing their own battles with cancer. This simple act of kindness, completely normal to Ashley, made such an impact on other patients that a goal of the Ashley G Charitable Foundation is to continue to carry on the special tradition of spending time comforting pediatric patients that are battling cancer.
On June 18, 2008, Ashley passed away at the hospital in New York with her family at her side. Throughout Ashley's life, including her battle with cancer, she was always uplifting and positive. She inspired people across the country and even the world with her courageous fight against such a devastating disease.
While fighting such a rare, aggressive disease, Ashley had to rely on doctors and their specific treatments.
There is much research being conducted for therapies that utilize bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood stem cells which can provide cures for cancer, blood disorders and immune diseases that are thought to be lethal conditions. With continuing research through the Dr. Mitchell Cairo team, we believe we will find a cure for the disease that claimed the young and vibrant life of Ashley.
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