ATKINSON COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) – The Pearson community is coming together in a heartfelt show of support for one of their own.

Ashley Bowen Chaney, a teacher at Pearson Elementary, has spent the past two years in and out of hospitals, facing unexplained neurological symptoms and setbacks. Despite it all, she said she leaned on her faith, praying for a diagnosis that would finally bring relief.

That answer came on June 1, when doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida diagnosed her with Primary CNS Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive cancer that forms in the central nervous system.

“I don’t know how people go through loss, and especially through hardship, without faith because the world is so broken,” said her coworker Jenna Gaskins. “But we know that God is bigger than all of that.”

According to the American Association for Cancer Research, only about 1,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Primary CNS Lymphoma each year. For the Pearson Elementary community, that statistic hit close to home.

“Everything we thought might be wrong, that was the last thing we expected,” said Heather Thigpen, Chaney’s best friend. “We were all devastated. We’re hopeful, but we know she has a long, hard journey ahead.”

Since her diagnosis, Chaney has been in the hospital for over a month, undergoing multiple surgeries and enduring a series of setbacks. But her fight is not hers alone.

Today, July 9, the community held a lemonade and bake sale at the old high school track in Pearson from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organized by fellow teachers, students and families, the fundraiser featured homemade lemonade, baked goods and donation stations. Every dollar raised went directly toward Chaney’s medical care and recovery. They were able to raise $1,600.

“We are family, and I know that sounds cheesy, but we’ve been through so many losses and tragedies,” said Gaskins. “Even thinking about the storm — We just come together.”

Chaney is the fourth teacher at Pearson Elementary to be diagnosed with cancer.

Debra Moore said the school lives by the motto “We are the village... You can be part of our village by supporting our local teacher who is battling cancer.”

For those who couldn’t attend in person, donations can also be made through Venmo and Cashapp listed below.

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