At just six weeks old, Ashley was fighting for her life. She was born HIV positive and the condition had developed into AIDS. After a three-and-a-half-month-long coma, she was placed into foster care for palliative care. Everyone believed that she would only have a few weeks to live, but she surprised them by not only surviving but thriving.

Ashley has lived openly with her HIV status since the age of seven, and has been speaking publicly about her condition since she was 10. She’s traveled with ME to WE on various trips and was inspired to keep the subject of HIV in the spotlight after meeting youth born with HIV on a trip to Kenya. On a second Kenya trip, Ashley was thrilled to lay the foundation of the first WE College—having donated her entire salary for three years to build a school. In honor of her 18th birthday, she launched a fundraising appeal that raised $120,000 for HIV research.

Ashley has been awarded the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award, Ajax Civic Award, the Prince’s Youth Service Award, runner up in the Queen’s Young Leaders and was chosen as Scarborough’s Rising Star with a star on their walk of fame. She’s also an ambassador for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, as well as a speaker for UNAIDS.

Ashley’s story has inspired hundreds of people around the world, especially those with HIV and medical professionals, with her message that we can all overcome our challenges and use our abilities to help others. She encourages everyone to forget trying to be “normal” and become extraordinary.