Ashley Cain has taken to social media to thank the legions of supporters who have donated to his daughter’s ‘life-saving’ leukemia treatment.
On Sunday, his GoFundMe page surpassed its target goal of £1million, leaving the former Ex On The Beach star, 30, ‘eternally grateful’.
He recorded a video message in which he said: ‘I am absolutely lost for words. I’m overwhelmed at the sheer amount of support that you guys have given us.
Thankful! Ashley Cain has taken to social media to thank the legions of supporters who have donated to his daughter’s ‘life-saving’ leukemia treatment
People have shared the post, donated – honestly the amount of kindness that you’ve shown, the amount you have helped us, it’s just incredible. Me and my family are eternally grateful to you guys!’
Explaining that he hadn’t realised how much money they had raised until Sunday evening, he went on: ‘I’ve had the busiest day with consultants and doctors and nurses on the phone to pharmaceutical companies, looking after Azaylia. I didn’t even know until tonight.
‘I went on my phone to see thousands of messages, I thought they were going to say we were close but the fact that we’ve hit it and we’re way above is just incredible! So listen guys thank you! Thank yo so much!’
The funds will pay for seven-month-old Azaylia’s treatment, which is available in Singapore.
Ashley described the treatment, CAR-T therapy, as ‘the only option to save Azaylia’s life’ and said he and partner Safiyya Vorajee may have to fly out in a matter of weeks, adding it will take a minimum of one year.
He recorded a video message in which he said: ‘I am absolutely lost for words. I’m overwhelmed at the sheer amount of support that you guys have given us’
Important: Ashley surpassed his target goal of £1million after he set up a GoFundMe to pay for life-saving treatment for his daughter Azaylia amid her leukaemia battle
He wrote: ‘***PLEASE READ. PLEASE SAVE. PLEASE SHARE*** These are some images we took for the emergency passport we’ve had to apply for, for Azaylia.
‘After long discussions and a global outreach for treatment, our consultants along with consultants from around the world have come to the conclusion that the ONLY option to save Azaylia’s life is to fly to Singapore for CAR-T therapy plus a haplo transplant, for a minimum period of 1 year.
‘Because of the aggressiveness of Azaylia’s disease, we don’t have time on our side and we may have to fly out within a matter of weeks.
‘This treatment and associated expenses will be in excess of 1 million pounds with an initial deposit of £500,000 just to be accepted into the hospital and onto the program.
Baby girl: The former Ex On The Beach star, 30, took to social media to ask fans for help in donating, explaining the treatment his daughter needs is only available in Singapore
Success: Ashley received over £1million in donations from more thsan 70,000 people
‘Azaylia is such a strong little girl who has fought through every near impossible battle so far and she has done it all with love in her heart and a smile on her face! We pray that we can raise the funds to get her to Singapore so she can continue fighting for the life that she loves so much! ❤️’
Ashley said Azaylia has made he and Safiyya’s lives and told his followers that ‘even the smallest of donations’ will help them to reach their goal.
He wrote: ‘Azaylia has changed our lives, she has made our lives and she deserves the chance to live her own life. She is beautiful, she is strong, she is courageous and she glows with hope and happiness.
‘Our hearts are intertwined and with one beat of her heart, our hearts beat along together. Please help our hearts continue to beat as one! ❤️
‘We are on our knees asking for help to get us to Singapore. Even the smallest of donations can help us reach out goal! Please help us to save our beautiful daughter Azaylia, she has inspired not only us as her parents but so many other people around the world.
‘If you have been following our journey you can see that she shows us all everyday how much she loves life and wants to be here! ❤️
Heartbreaking: Ashley described the treatment, CAR-T therapy, as ‘the only option to save Azaylia’s life’ and said he and partner Safiyya Vorajee, may have to fly out in a matter of weeks
‘Please save this post. Please share this post. And please help us to save our beautiful little girl! (Go Fund Me Link In bio)’.
Ashley’s GoFundMe reached its £1million goal within 16 hours, including a donation from fellow Ex On The Beach stars Jemma Lucy, who gave £1,000 and Chet Sket who donated £10,000 through his clothing company Faded.
Others who have donated include CEO of fashion brand In The Style Adam Frisby who gave £10,000, Love Island’s Molly-Mae Hague chipped in £1,000 and footballer Robert Snodgrass also gave £1,000.
Ashley penned a detailed account of Azaylia’s health battle on his GoFundMe page and said that any extra funds the couple receive will be donated to other families in a similar situation to them.
He wrote: ‘This is our first and only child and we’ve spent the first 7 months of parenthood in hospital under COVID restrictions fighting a battle that no parent should ever have to face.
Ashley wrote: ‘We will be donating any extra money to other children and their families in the same situation as us’
‘Please give us a chance to continue fighting so this journey wasn’t all for nothing and our daughter can have the chance of life that she’s been fighting so hard for!
‘We will be donating any extra money to other children and their families in the same situation as us – we pledged to give back to this community from the moment we were thrust into it and that is something we will always honour.
‘Thank you all for your energy, love, support and prayers – it lifts us and carries us through this terrifying journey.’
CAR-T, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell, therapy involved reprogramming the patient’s own immune system cells which are then used to target the cancer.
According to the NHS, it is a ‘highly complex and potentially risky treatment’ but has been shown in trials to cure some patients when other treatments have failed.
Donations: Stars who donated included Chet Sket through his company Faded as well as footballer Robert Snodgrass, Molly-Mae Hague and In The Style’s Adam Frisby
Azaylia was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia when she was just two months old.
Ashley said he has spent the first seven months of fatherhood under Covid-19 restrictions in hospital as his daughter fought the cancer.
Doctors told the reality star and his partner Safiyya that chemotherapy would not be enough to cure Azaylia.
It comes after Ashley revealed the heartbreaking news that Azaylia has relapsed amid her leukaemia battle.
He issued an update on his baby girl on Thursday night after she underwent a bone marrow test on Tuesday to see if she was leukaemia free.
Ashley revealed the news that Azaylia had relapsed and that he and Safiyya were ‘devastated’ as they have been left with ‘very few options’ with the family immediately admitted back into hospital.
Heartbreaking: Ashley recently revealed the heartbreaking news that his baby daughter Azaylia has relapsed amid her leukaemia battle
The reality star added that they currently only have one possible solution to ‘save Azaylia’s life’ and it will see the trio leave the country in a matter of days to embark on a ‘year long journey’ to help his ‘beautiful little girl’.
Ashley shared a collection of sweet pictures of Azaylia in an ‘amazing’ babygrow alongside the update, he penned: ‘Azaylia’s last day at home!
‘After yesterday’s results we have found out that Azaylia has heartbreakingly relapsed and we have immediately been admitted back into hospital as inpatients. We are devastated at the news and are left with very few options.
‘We, along with the consultants have been reaching out globally in the last 24 hours to find a solution to save Azaylia’s life.
‘So far, we have only one potential option that we will be getting confirmation on tomorrow.
Update: The star issued an update on his baby girl, seven months, on Thursday night after she underwent a bone marrow test on Tuesday to see if she was leukaemia free
‘This will mean that we will be uprooting and leaving the country in a matter of days/weeks to embark on a year long journey to save our beautiful little girl! ❤️.’
Ashley then praised his baby girl for being so ‘strong’ amid her leukaemia battle.
He added: ‘Azaylia is such a strong little girl who has fought through every near impossible battle so far and she has done it all with love in her heart and a smile on her face!
‘We pray that we get the right news tomorrow so she can continue fighting for the life that she loves so much! ❤️.’
Devastating: Ashley revealed the heartbreaking news that Azaylia had relapsed and that he and partner Safiyya were ‘devastated’ as they have been left with ‘very few options’ with the family immediately admitted back into hospital
Statement: Ashley shared a collection of sweet pictures of Azaylia in an ‘amazing’ babygrow alongside the update, he penned: ‘Azaylia’s last day at home!’
Ashley signed off his post with: ‘Thank you for all your support so far and please keep our little girl in your prayers!’
Earlier this week, the reality star revealed that his daughter Azaylia was set to have a bone marrow test to see if she was finally leukaemia free.
Sharing a picture of Azaylia in her car seat all tucked-up in a pink blanket, Ashley wrote: ‘We’re on the way to the hospital for Azaylia’s bone marrow test today to find out whether she is finally leukemia free!
‘Consultants made us aware that if her leukemia returns after transplant there are only few options left.
Let’s go champ! Earlier this week, the reality star revealed that his daughter Azaylia was set to have a bone marrow test to see if she is finally leukaemia free
‘Over the last few weeks we have been exploring one of these options, by weaning her off her cyclosporine medication to give her donor cells a boost, in the hope that they take action in combating the leukemia (sic).’
He went on: ‘I’ve felt extremely tense today. Having your baby put under anaesthetic and going into theatre for yet another operation is hard enough, but with the added pressure of whats riding on this just takes the nerves to a whole new level!
‘Fingers crossed, hopes, wishes, prayers and positive affirmations are going into this. I believe in you champ, Let’s go!’
Ashley, who has openly documented the daily challenges of caring for his daughter while she battles leukaemia, said last week having the youngster at home as ‘brought so much of his soul back.’
Hopes: In a lengthy caption, Ashley admitted he ‘felt extremely tense’ because of her being put under anaesthetic to have the operation but also from the hopes riding on it
He also said that he and Azaylia had returned to hospital for a visit as they were waiting for her to have the bone marrow test.
In a lengthy post, which accompanied a picture of him and Azaylia in hospital, he wrote: ‘Humbled every time we return. Being at home has been amazing.
‘Having my family back together again has brought so much of my soul back, that I didn’t realise how much had actually gone!
‘It’s crazy that it was only the other day that it kicked in again how poorly my baby really is and how much of a tough battle we still have ahead! (sic)’
Sweet: Sharing a picture of Azaylia in her car seat all tucked-up in a pink blanket, Ashley wrote: ‘The added pressure of whats riding on this just takes the nerves to a whole new level’
He went on: ‘I was speaking to my partner last night and I said to her that this is by far the saddest and most heartbroken I have ever been, yet it’s the happiest and most complete I have ever been.
‘I guess it doesn’t make sense unless you’re in it, but when my baby is at home with me there is no moment in my lifetime that compares!
‘We have another eagerly waited bone marrow test coming up. My heart, my soul, my energy and my prayers are that we get the result we have been wishing for this time around! Let’s go Likkle Lion. I believe in you.’
Ashley admitted that he’s found the last couple of weeks ‘mentally challenging’ as he copes with his baby girl’s diagnosis.
Candid: Ashley said last week having Azaylia at home as ‘brought so much of his soul back’ after briefly returning to hospital
Procedure: Ashley said his seven-month-old daughter is now waiting for another bone marrow test, and his ‘heart’ and ‘soul’ are focusing on getting ‘the result we have been wishing for’
In an emotional video shared to his Instagram earlier this month, the reality star told how he’s pushed himself to get out of his ‘comfort zone’ and back on top form as he insisted: ‘My daughter needs me at 150%’.
Speaking into the camera during a walk, Ashley told how the video is ‘self reflection’ after finding himself struggling mentally in the wake of his daughter’s illness.
The reality star then gave an inspirational message of how he’s turned things around and is determined to be strong and transfer his positive energy to his little girl.
He said: ‘The last couple of weeks have been very mentally challenging and I’ve done what I never do, I let myself slip.
‘It’s all because I haven’t kept my standards, I haven’t been tenacious with the way I go through life. I’ve sat back and I’ve allowed myself to get in my comfort zone and that is the worst thing you can do. Nothing was ever achieved in a comfort zone.’
Earlier this month, he gave an update on Azaylia’s treatment, saying he and Safiyya’s next course of action was to reduce her cyclosporine medication in the hope it will prompt Azaylia’s stem cells to fight her cancer.
Ashley was left in tears last month when he marked the moment Azaylia left hospital to go home for the first time in five months.
The reality star described it as a ‘miracle blindsided by heartbreak’ after doctors delivered the news her leukaemia had returned – just 10 minutes before the family were due to leave the children’s ward.
Taking to Instagram, Ashley shared the moment of Azaylia ‘ringing the bell’ so he and Safiyya could finally take her home, with Azaylia continuing her treatment as an outpatient.
The couple had faced an agonising two week wait to find out whether the stem cell transplant managed to clear out the leukaemia from her bone marrow.
Ashley said he was devastated to learn Azaylia was at a higher risk of complications going into the transplant after her cancer returned, following two rounds of chemotherapy.
When Azaylia was diagnosed with leukaemia she had a soaring white cell count of 200, and also had tumours on her lungs, kidneys, and stomach.
So tough: It comes after Ashley admitted that he’s found the last couple of weeks ‘mentally challenging’ as he copes with his baby girl’s devastating diagnosis
Emotional: Ashley was left in tears last month when he marked the moment his daughter Azaylia left hospital to go home for the first time in five months