Ashleigh's Angels Foundation was founded and established by Eric Smith (Ashleigh's Uncle) in early 2010 with the hopes of raising awareness, increasing education, providing support to patients and family members who live with Anaplastic Astrocytomas (Brain Cancer). One of the goals of the foundation is to raise funds through various activities to support the mission as well as to provide funding to both the families and critical research being conducted to find a cure or more effective treatments for Anaplastic Astrocytomas.
On January 15, 2010 after more than 4 visits to the doctor Ashleigh was diagnosed with Anaplastic Astrocytomas. Although the average age of diagnosed onset for this disease is in the early 30s -60s, approximately 4% of the people with the disease are thought to be below the age of 30; Ashleigh was 3 when her symptoms first appeared.
Shortly following the official diagnosis, Eric took on the mission of gathering information on how this unwelcome intruder was going to impact their lives. During his research Eric came across various foundations that were related to research other than Astroctomas. In this Eric started the foundation Ashleigh's Angels in honor of his niece and the way that she was taking on this type of cancer and fighting. After starting a personal journal of Ashleigh's life on Facebook. The foundation that bears this name was founded in 2010 and is making great strides.
It was at this point Eric realized they had raised interest in what they were doing and was led and inspired by the response of family, friends and people they had never met. It was at that moment the idea of beginning their own non-profit 501(c) 3 public charity so they could increase and enhance the excitement and involvement Eric had begun online with about 50 people,
In June 2010 Ashleigh's Angels was officially established with a non-profit status of 501(c) 3 and plans began for the 2010 fall events and 2011 annual events.
Ashleigh's Angels now looks to the future and how they will take their mission to inspire community involvement and raise awareness for Anaplastic Astrocytomas that will fund research to ultimately find a cure beyond the borders of their wildest dreams in hope of finding a cure as quickly as possible. We ask that you join Ashleigh's Angels Foundation for Anaplastic Astrocytomas in spreading awareness for People with Anaplastic Astrocytomas and help raise the funds needed to reach this attainable goal of a cure in our lifetime.
As you consider being a part of this new patient led movement remember no matter how big or how many people join Ashleigh's Angels Foundation in their mission, at the heart of all of it still remains the unconditional love of a uncle who just simply wanted to get involved in honor of and to support his niece who at the age of 3 lost her fight here on earth with Anaplastic Astrocytomas. We strongly believe they will see the day when our efforts hopefully in some small way contributed to a cure for this unwelcome intruder we know as Anaplastic Astrocytomas.
Please contact Ashleigh's Angels at 1-800-214-9935 for more information on how you can be part of this patient led movement to help us and each other along this journey.
