Ashley Bittenbender may be a shy and somewhat reserved teenager on the outside, but on the inside she is tough and a fighter. She has to be because she battles a debilitating disease known as Ulcerative Colitis.
After a year suffering from chronic symptoms, Ashley was diagnosed in August of 2010. “It can be hard,” said thirteen-year-old Ashley, “because the joint pain and the chronic fatigue get in my way. But in a way it also makes me stronger.” That is especially true when she’s doing the one thing she enjoys most – being the goal-keeper for a competitive girls traveling soccer team in Indiana.
“Ashley is very athletic,” said her mom Dr. Casey Bittenbender, “but when she got sick she was sidelined from the game and that was very hard on her. However, while she struggles daily with these issues she also accepts them and adjusts her life accordingly. She’s a trooper and uses her faith in God to get her through.”
Although Ashley considers herself your “average” girl, she excels in school and loves science and history. When she’s not studying or playing soccer, you can guarantee she’s listening to music. She is also an avid lover of animals, especially horses, and one day wants to be a veterinarian.
“Having UC is a serious pain. Fortunately I have been very blessed and have only had a few flares, others aren't so lucky. Lots of kids who have the same disease spend a lot of time in the hospital because their disease is really severe and their medication can't keep it under control. We desperately need a cure.”
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