9/11 survivor reveals she's battling frightening illness as body 'burns itself from inside out'
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: 12News
A woman who survived not one, but two of the attacks on the World Trade Center is now battling a series of health issues she believes stems from the harrowing incidents.
Jenn Ashcraft survived the first attack in 1993, and then the second one which took place eight years later.
After the traumatic events, Ashcraft relocated to Prescott, Arizona, and began volunteering for the Red Cross. She said that doing this helped her 'heal and to honor all of those firefighters that lost their lives' to the two attacks she survived.
Ashcraft has been battling health issues for years, but things have really taken a turn for the worst of late and she was hospitalized a week ago.
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She believes her poor health stems from being near the World Trade Center at the time of both the 1993 and 2001 bombings.
The 60-year-old told 12News of her recent ailments: "My cuticles started bleeding. My skin developed some type of an attack, which now basically means my antibodies are attacking my body."
Ashcraft has now been diagnosed with a series of autoimmune diseases. A symptom of these makes her feel like her body is 'burning itself from the inside out'.
Listing off the affected areas, Ashcraft said: "My chest, my back, my arms, my face. It's all very painful."
Healthcare professionals are now trying to save her life with antibody replacement, she said.
Sadly doctors have found tumors on Ashcraft's lungs too, meaning she needs additional treatment. She now needs testing is needed to determine whether cancer is present.
It's unclear if the tumors are linked to the New York attacks she survived.
The World Trade Center Health Program currently doesn't recognize autoimmune diseases linked to the attacks, meaning Ashcraft is having to fork out for her own medical bills.
According to a GoFundMe page set up on her behalf, her insurance has denied cover of some of procedures she needs as well.
"Jenn’s medical team at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix has recommended specialized scans, immunotherapy treatments, antibody replacement and infusions and ongoing care," part of the fundraising page explains.
"Unfortunately, some of these necessary procedures have already been denied by insurance, leaving Jenn responsible for significant out-of-pocket expenses just to move forward with the care she urgently needs."
Over $5,000 has been raised for Ashcraft so far. The fundraiser, which you can donate to here, has a target of $16,000.