Ava's Way Blood Drive

LIVING AVA'S WAY

Ava’s Fight

Living Ava’s Way is in honor of Ava Hutchinson, and the way she changed lives through her spirit, drive, and kindness. There is joy in sharing her legacy of giving as we set out to change the world one smile at a time.

Ava was everyone’s best buddy, no matter how young or old. She was friendly and had a heart of gold. Ava especially loved a good laugh and had a witty sense of humor. She loved to sing and dance too, but fashion was her passion. She had a sense of sassy style that stood out, always accessorized from head to toe.

Ava’s life wasn’t easy, but she lived like a champ.

At twenty-eight months of age, they diagnosed Ava with medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor. She endured many surgeries and lots of chemotherapy that first year. As she was nearing the end of her treatment protocol, they hit us with the tragic news that her cancer was back. Ava underwent 30 rounds of high-dose radiation to her brain and spine, followed by three rounds of high-dose chemo and stem cell transplants. Just two weeks before Ava’s 4th birthday, the treatment was over and she was in remission.

But the fight wasn’t over...

There was the emotional aftermath as her family found themselves faced with recovering Ava’s emotional well-being and reintroducing her to the world. All she knew was fighting cancer. Then the late effects of treatment slowly started creeping in, like thyroid issues, physical and cognitive issues such as balance and learning, ear surgeries to fix holes created by the radiation, cataract surgeries to correct her vision, and growth hormone shots because she stopped growing. Those are just a few of the speed bumps Ava faced over the next 7 years, but the last “late effect” of cancer was one that couldn’t be fixed. They found secondary cancer during a routine check-up in July 2016. This cancer was terminal. 

Through all of this, Ava seldomly cried. There was no self-pity or "why me". She had anxiety about her treatments, but she never complained. Even though the new brain tumors were terminal, she put on her game face and fought it for 14 months. She fought to LIVE until her very last breath.

Ava’s faith, will to live, and endless love impacted the world. This is Ava’s way, so let’s LIVE it up!

Join us in Bondurant, on September 20th, for Ava's Way Blood Drive. We'll be at the Federated Church, 103 2nd St SW, Bondurant, IA, from 8am to 12pm. Sign up below, and help us carry on her amazing spirit by donating.

Ava’s Way  – The Movement

#avasway is not JUST a hashtag to follow on social media. For us, it is a way of life. A way to change the world, one deed at a time, one smile at a time. Each day, we strive to honor Ava’s way of life.

Ava left a legacy of giving. She was always thinking of others by making homemade cards and gifts for those who touched her life. The giving back started at a very early age, but the biggest effects were near the end of her life. With the help of some amazing friends, she could make a big impact on this world. This is just a quick summary of past events and upcoming events.

In May 2017, Ava made bracelets and sold lemonade to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Connection. She raised $500 to purchase 50 gift cards for the Bravery Bucks program.

For her 11th and final birthday on earth, she asked for cards and donations to the Children’s Cancer Connection, because she wanted kids like herself to go to cancer camp for free for years to come. Thousands of dollars were raised in her honor in 2017 and again in 2018.

Ava wanted to do a blood drive to save lives for her 12th birthday. They had given her blood products during her multiple battles against cancer and she wanted to give back. We have held Ava’s birthday blood drive annually since 2017, saving thousands of lives in Ava’s honor.

Schedule Today

AVA HUTCHINSON 2005 – 2017 

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