Asher’s Storm Troopers is participating in Alex’s Million Mile for the second consecutive year to honor the memory of their hero Asher Leonard and for all of the children that will be diagnosed today, tomorrow and in the future. Their team has an ambitious mileage goal of 20,000 miles this year, but with more than 30 people on their team including the Bowling Green State University Swim Team (Asher’s mom is an alumnus) – we have no doubt that they’ll crush their goal. 

Asher was the funniest, smartest, sassiest, most compassionate boy his family and friends had ever met. He had smile on his face, a zest for life and an amazing ability to constantly put others before himself.
When Asher was two and a half, he complained that his neck hurt. When the pain continued for a few months, his parents took him to see the pediatrician and eventually Asher was given an MRI that revealed the cause of the neck pain. A large posterior fossa tumor was extending down his spinal column and causing his spinal cord to be compressed. In the blink of an eye, the healthy, happy, energetic baby boy was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma, a form of brain cancer.
 
Asher endured two lengthy brain surgeries, over a years’ worth of different oral and IV chemotherapy regimens, six weeks of radiation, cyberknife radiation to two brain tumors and two more courses of radiation to problem tumors in his brain and spine. Though Asher's spirit remained positive and strong, his body could take no more and he passed away on June 30, 2013.

His family knows that continued awareness through events like Alex’s Million Mile is what will cause people to stop, listen and ultimately take action. According to Asher’s mom Shannon, “We know that awareness brings funding, funding brings research and research will bring the cure!”

Visit Asher’s Storm Troopers page here!