Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Mathews.
Ashley, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
To explain where this love and passion for helping others flourish in their health come from, I would need to take you back 10 years ago when I was facing my battle with my health. I was walking through a season of burning the candle at both ends and I wasn’t prioritizing my health. I found myself with severe stomach pains, getting sick and being tired every day. After some testing, my Doctor told me I was on the verge of having an autoimmune disease and that I needed to make some changes in my life. After that tough discussion, I began making necessary changes in my life by removing toxins out of the body, reducing stress, and getting more sleep. As a result, I almost immediately saw my health begin to turn around.
I quickly began to share my story when I heard another complaint about similar symptoms. I realized I had some very good answers to the questions and frustrations they shared.
Fast forward several years. Life is great. My husband and I have our first child, a sweet boy we named Caleb. However, at 14 months old, our son started having some unexplainable symptoms. He was lethargic and thirsty all the time…like, crazy thirsty downing bottles of water. I knew something wasn’t right. Within a few days, he became increasingly sick and was diagnosed with Type1 diabetes. After a week in the hospital, we were sent home to be his pancreas. We’d quickly learn that Type1 is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas does not produce insulin, a necessary hormone required to break down sugar in one’s blood. T1 is a life threatening disease that must be managed 24/7 to avoid complications, and insulin must be given by a syringe or pump daily, carefully, to survive.
Although I was completely in shock and devastated by this news, I also felt like I could do this. I had walked so many people through different health ailments they were facing. I set out to free my son from Type1 with a fire in me like never before. I began looking at his body like a complex puzzle and with every discovery or milestone, I could place that piece and be one step closer.
At first, I thought this was all about helping Caleb, but the more I researched the epidemic of autoimmune disorders in children, the more I realized the need for resources that empowered the parents of these children. What I was learning to implement in Caleb’s life and the tangible changes I was seeing wasn’t just for Caleb, but for other mamas too. It became a passion and a mission to help women and their children have the necessary tools so that they can truly Flourish in spirit, mind and body.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I can honestly say the journey has been harder than I ever imagined. More surprising to me, however, is the immense grace and joy that has been a byproduct of the journey. Simply hidden blessings I would have never experienced without it. Little wins become complete overwhelming moments of gratitude! When my son was first diagnosed with Type1 Diabetes, it felt like a nightmare and I wasn’t waking up. I had to eventually come to realize that it was our new life, and it would be a challenge.
Caring for a toddler with Type1 quickly became the constant pricking of his fingers to draw and test his blood, needles, insulin injections, carb counting, running on little sleep, and more. It was so overwhelming and I just was waiting for it to get easier. I remember talking to another mama of a Type1 warrior early on in the diagnosis. She had been fighting this battle much longer than I had and I wanted to know at what point did this get easier. She looked at me and said, “Ashley it doesn’t get easier, but you get stronger”. It wasn’t the answer I was looking for, but it was incredibly accurate.
From strength to strength this became a snapshot of my journey learning to be another person’s pancreas. Learning to defend and rebuild my son’s health, rise from the ashes of complete despair, search for the next puzzle piece, and now, starting business fueled by the diagnosis, revelations, and compelling hope. It’s exciting to find just one “why” behind it all.
Tell us about your business.
FLOURISH was born from a desire to help women and their children flourish in their health by being whole in spirit, mind and body. When I started this health journey with my son I was desperate for real answers and solutions that would bring healing to his body. Surprisingly though, it wasn’t a nutritionist or a doctor that helped me. It was another mama. A mama who had walked a similar journey as me and was able to come along side me, encourage and equip me with what I needed to truly walk this thing out to victory.
I don’t believe you should have to have a medical degree to know how to care for yourself or your child’s health. I don’t believe getting healthy should be complicated and overwhelming. I certainly don’t believe it should cost you thousands of dollars.
My initial goal with FLOURISH is to equip women by giving them tangible and simple solutions in the form of small online programs. Additionally, offering mentoring through health challenge groups, and encouragement through small intimate group workshops will provide the camaraderie to excel together.
I’ve seen this help empower women to learn the simplicity of health while building a community where every woman knows she isn’t walking alone but is surrounded by others who want to see her and her children Flourish while they accomplish the same for their family.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I honestly believe that people’s eyes are being open to the health epidemic that we face in our country and that our children are facing. Light shining in the darkness and exposing the truth. It’s disrupting the food and health industry, and I love it.
Right now in the United States alone, 48% of children have a chronic autoimmune disease. That’s not okay. It infuriates me. These are our babies! I think we are already seeing a shift where mothers from every dynamic, race, ethnicity, and background are rising and starting to advocate for their kid’s health for their lives.
As a passionate mom and entrepreneur in this space, I couldn’t be more excited about the freedom and empowerment FLOURISH will help provide. My passion is born out of diagnosis and despair, but watching the testimonies of FLOURISH unfold gives me chills 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: ashleymathewsco.com
- Email: ashleymathews54@gmail.com
- Instagram: flourish.ashleymathews
- Facebook: Flourish with Ashley Mathews
Image Credit:
Jess Wagner
Keary de Cheney
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
