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Newlywed with late-stage cancer hopes to crowdfund her honeymoon

Posted at 4:30 AM, Jan 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-18 13:14:19-05

CINCINNATI -- Even after the proposal, the acceptance and the selection of a dress, Ashley Morrow-Rodriguez wasn't sure she would be getting married. 

It wasn't a question of wanting it. She and her fiancée, Lionel Rodriguez, had been together for 12 years. It was a question of making it to the day. Morrow-Rodriguez, 30, has Stage 4 stomach and cervical cancers; planning ahead for anything is difficult.

"I'm not going to say it's easy," she said. "I just take it a day at a time."

Despite her fear, the day arrived. With the help of generous donors who pitched in via GoFundMe, was able to have the wedding celebration she'd dreamt of for so long: Lionel by her side, her 12-year-old son in attendance and a unique cake on the table. 

"I always used to say when I was growing up, ‘When I get married, I'm going to have a chicken nugget cake,'" she said. It happened.

Morrow-Rodriguez and her family are asking for help one more time. She said Wednesday she hopes she, Lionel and her son, Cameron, can raise enough money to enjoy a honeymoon as a family.

She wants to go somewhere warm.

"I've never been to the beach," she said.

She added she was grateful for every one of the donors who helped her afford her wedding and who had already contributed $1,599 to her honeymoon fund.

"It's good to know there are still good people around," she said.