Campaign Story

Hello everyone,
For those of you that don’t already know me, my name is Ashley and for as long as I could remember I always dreamed of being a mom and having my own children. The love for children comes so natural to me. Even when I was younger I couldn’t wait to go to work with my mom when she taught at a preschool. I volunteered as a CIT (counselor in training) at the early childhood camp that the park district offered. I am proud to say that after 20 years, I still work for the park district part time as an ice rink supervisor working with young children and their families on and off the ice. I always knew that working with children was what I wanted to do! In high school and college, I studied Early Childhood Education and worked at a child care facility in the Infant Room. I worked there for 13 years and in 2018 I accepted my current nanny position for a family with 4 children. In 2009 my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at which time we found that she has the BRCA 1 mutation (the breast and ovarian cancer gene). I got tested in 2015 and I too have a positive result for the same BRCA 1 mutation. I decided to do a preventative bilateral mastectomy in 2017 after a few nerve-racking biopsies. That was the first piece of the puzzle in my preventative care plan. The second piece focuses on the removal of my ovaries and possibly other reproductive organs. My doctor said she would like to start that conversation around when I turn 40. I am 35 now and feel like my time is running out especially because I am single and haven’t found “the one” to settle down and start a family with. I love and enjoy working with children so much that I am 100% willing and prepared for being a single mom. For me this will be achieved through IVF using a sperm donor. A single IVF cycle, medications for egg stimulation, genetic testing for myself as well as on the embryos once they’re created, purchasing vials of sperm, many doctor visits, ultrasounds, and lots of blood work can be upwards of $65,000.(One round and not even guaranteed to work) I have no known fertility problems so insurance companies are not willing to cover any aspect of my journey. Even with the BRCA 1 mutation, the insurance companies will not cover any of the cost due to “not meeting their criteria! ” Your donations would be so helpful to me and very much appreciated because I am doing this on my own. The hefty bills fall solely on me. Because I am considered “self pay” by my team of doctors, 100% of the bill must be paid in full before treatment starts. I am trying to raise as much money as possible so my loan payments are within my grasp. Please help me bring a beautiful child into this world and help support my dream.
Thank you for taking the time to read and understand my situation.
Ashley Bargamian
P.S. I so want to be a hockey mom!