When Ashlyne Thurber left her mom, Jessica in McKinleyville to go spend this summer with her dad in Minnesota, no one knew that cancer would take her hostage. After a couple weeks with her dad, persistent pain in her leg caused her family back east to take her to the doctor where she was diagnosed with Stage 
4 Ewing’s Sarcoma. This aggressive cancer meant she couldn’t come back to her mom and her home here. She couldn’t be here this fall to cheer with McKinleyville Youth Football nor dance with the Trinity Ballet Academy like she’d planned.

Ashlyne’s mom packed her stuff into storage, took a leave of absence from work and headed back to be by her daughter’s side during chemotherapy. Meanwhile, police officers in the town where Ashlyne’s dad lives helped the fifth grader forget a bit of the pain and fear when they took her for a day of crime fighting that included arresting Cancer with her own set of pink handcuffs. (See video above.)

Family and friends here are trying to raise money to help with expenses such as medical bills and travel costs. An auction/bake sale/raffle will be held Sunday, November 23 (See poster below) to ease the strain on a family already struggling with a very serious illness.  If you have can help with a donation of items or baked goods please contact Jessica’s sister, Lyndze Reynolds at (707) 502-4300. All are welcome to attend and stock up on delicious baked goods for the holidays and help this little girl’s family. In addition, a Give Forward account has been set up for monetary donations here. $9000 has already been raised. How soon can LoCO readers add another $1000 to that?