She gives hope to cancer patients

Since being diagnosed with a rare eye cancer, Ashley McCrary has used faith to sustain her through years of treatment. Today, she has found a way to share that strength with others

- Diane Herbst

Back in 2012, after two friends noticed odd-looking dark spots on the iris of her right eye, Ashley McCrary went to her ophthalmologist. Soon after, she learned devastating news: The spots were a very rare and deadly eye cancer called ocular melanoma.

Ashley was in complete shock, especially given two other friends from her alma mater, Auburn University in Alabama, also had the same cancer. How could that be? Ashley wondered.

Eight weeks later, Ashley had surgery to remove the eye, with the hopes it would keep the cancer from spreading. But sadly, further testing revealed a high likelihood of it spreading to her liver, which it does in 50% of cases. Though frightened, Ashley vowed to fight for herself, her husband and their four children.

Ashley turned to her faith and her friends, especially her college friends also fighting the disease, Allyson Allred and Juleigh Green, for support and strength. They were constantly talking, texting and praying together.

For a long while, Ashley's cancer stayed at bay. But in October 2020, doctors discovered over 100 tumors in her liver.