Lifted by Community: Ashlie and Rhys’ Story
When Ashlie thinks back to the day she learned her baby had a genetic disorder, she remembers how overwhelming it felt. She was 32 weeks pregnant, and it was a lot to take in at once - it was upsetting, scary, and left Ashlie with a ton of unanswered questions. But now, four years later, she looks at that day through a different lens, “It was the best day of my life.” she shares. Knowing that because of that discovery, Rhys has received the exact, proactive care he needs from the moment he was born.
A Diagnosis Found Early, and a Path Forward
After Rhys arrived, specialists at BC Children’s Hospital confirmed he had Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS), a rare genetic disorder, which among other things gave him a 25% chance of developing pediatric cancer. With this knowledge, he received ultrasounds and bloodwork every three months, and that early vigilance made all the difference.
At just eight months old, doctors discovered Wilms tumors in Rhys’ kidneys, tumors so small that without proactive screening they may not have been found for years. He began chemotherapy right away. Ashlie and Rhys, who were living on Vancouver Island at the time, packed up and moved temporarily into Ronald McDonald House at the hospital. Treatment was a long stretch of milestones for Rhys, including chemotherapy, a radical and partial nephrectomy, followed by more chemotherapy. He approached it with the same resilient, cheerful disposition he has today, and when he was 15 months old his treatment was complete.
Support that Finds You
Ashlie was introduced to WCK by seeing a poster for Port Shirts while on T8 at BC Children’s Hospital. Rhys was eight months old, and so small that she wasn’t sure if we’d have adaptive clothing in his size, so getting those shirts meant a lot, and they still have them to this day.
Food programs became a critical form of support during treatment. Rhys was starting to eat solid foods when he was diagnosed, but chemotherapy quickly put him off eating altogether. Ashlie nursed him through treatment, which meant she had to somehow keep herself nourished enough for them both. While caring for her infant during treatment there wasn’t time to step away and buy food, cook, or prepare meals, so having ready-made meals she could heat up in seconds, often with Rhys in her arms, was more than helpful - it was essential. One meal she still remembers fondly is the baked tofu with teriyaki sauce.
Choosing to Give Back: The Power of Peer Support
Ashlie knows firsthand that parents supporting parents is a bond like no other, especially when it’s rooted in shared experience and understanding. Being able to offer that same quiet strength to someone else felt like the natural next step.
“When you're in a time of crisis, and you realize how many people are there to lift you up and take care of you, was the most positive thing that came out of Rhys’ illness. It’s overwhelming and wonderful to feel how many strangers care about you and your family.” - Ashlie
Life Today: Moving Forward With Gratitude
Rhys is now a thriving four-year-old. He’s a bright, curious preschooler who knows exactly who he is and what he loves. He’s strong-willed, resilient, and wonderfully kind and generous.
Now three years out of cancer treatment, Rhys continues to be cared for at the hospital through their long-term follow-up care. With the nature of his genetic disorder, he will continue to get scans every three months until he’s 13. But for Ashlie, the feeling that rises above all others is gratitude: for the care team that caught his diagnosis early, for the support that carried them through treatment, and for the community that continues to walk alongside them.
A Message of Thanks
Ashlie carries immense appreciation for anyone who shows up for families walking this path by supporting WCK - whether through time, resources, or simple acts of compassion.
“I'm so grateful to anyone who gives any of themselves to supporting families when they're in a really dark time,” she says. “When you’re in that dark time, it’s hard to reach out for help, so to have support that lifts you up without even having to seek it out is something I will always remember. It solidified my belief in the power of the human spirit and the way that, as people, we are at our best when we're taking care of each other.”
For her, WCK represents community at its most meaningful: hands-on, heart-forward, and rooted in humanity.
Stories like Ashlie and Rhys’ are made possible because of a community that believes in caring for families, practically and compassionately, when they need it most. If you feel moved to help ensure families continue to receive this kind of support, we invite you to make a donation today.