Best friend helps Shoreline teen with bucket list

Best friends Ahmie Njie
and Ashley Olson

By Naomi Murphy

Local Shoreline teen, Ahmie Njie of the Briarcrest neighborhood, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer called Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumors (DSRCT), one year ago, on December 1, 2013. During the last year, Ms. Njie has weathered several rounds of chemo and radiation as well as major surgery to remove tumors and several diseased organs within her abdomen. 

Doctors removed her spleen, uterus, ovaries, half of her diaphragm, and the peritoneum lining around her abdomen. Despite her perilous journey, Ahmie has oft-times maintained vigor, optimism, resilience and strength unexpected for a patient of Stage 4 DSRCT. She has traveled and enjoyed special time with family, friends, her Girl Scout troop, and her school community. 

Recent scans revealed that tumors have returned bigger and more widely spread than last year. Last month, after consultation with Seattle Children’s and experts in North Carolina, Ahmie’s medical team have determined that it would not be safe for Ahmie to endure another major surgery, and she is currently receiving palliative care. The tumors are aggressively growing in her neck, lymph nodes, chest, behind her heart, there is one wrapping around her bronchial tube, and once again, her abdomen. She recently started feeling abdominal pressure and discomfort as fluid from tumors builds up again, but on the whole still feels fairly well and is in good spirits. 

Ahmie attended Shoreline’s Briarcrest Elementary and Cascade K-8 Community school, from which she graduated last year. She was thrilled to start school this fall at Shorecrest High School, but unfortunately became too sick after the first couple of weeks to keep attending. Ahmie has opted to home school while continuing to fight cancer, as well as still pushing herself to play drums for jazz band and art classes with her peers. 

Ahmie has many friends and acquaintances providing ongoing love and support for her and her family. There is even an organized group with the monicker “Operation Love for Ahmie” to help address the changing needs of this family behind the scenes while they brave the roller coaster of a child with a terminal illness.

Ahmie created something 14 year olds should not have to have — a bucket list. The community has rallied to check off many items from this list already – a motorcycle ride, a camera, a room makeover, and toy donations to Seattle Children’s. 

Ashley Olsen, one of Ahmie’s oldest and best friends, is on a mission to fulfill two of Ahmie’s bucket list wishes. While Ahmie is still feeling well enough to travel, Ashley is determined to send her and her family on a first class plane ride.

Despite being only 12 herself, Ashley is doing an amazing job spreading the word about her friend and she has raised over half of the needed funds. Ahmie, her mom Gienna, and her 8 year old sister love to travel together, especially if the trip involves a Disney theme-park or a heated pool. For this family, time together is savored and the joy between them is apparent.

Ashley Olsen has been friends with Ahmie Njie for most of her life and loves her like a sister. She is determined to give her best friend and her family a great vacation together, flying first class to get there. 

You can follow Ahmie’s story via the family’s regularly updated Facebook page Miracles for Ahmie.

If you would like to help Ms. Olsen send Ahmie and her family on a trip, please use this link: Ahmie's Bucket List Wish

Correction: Ahmie is a Shorecrest girl and attended Shorecrest for a couple of weeks