Mom Suffering Chronic Pain Becomes Bodybuilder

A woman who has suffered from chronic pain since she was a teenager has defied the odds to win a bodybuilding competition that most people in her condition would never even consider. Ashley Yocum, 35, from Orlando, Florida, suffers from Fibromyalgia – a long-term illness that brings about widespread pain and tenderness in certain areas of her body, which makes day-to-day life extremely difficult. In describing her condition, Ashley said that she never knows where the pain will be on her body, but it is always there, in one spot or another. Following the diagnosis, Ashley said that she joined a number of support groups that, she felt, were taking the wrong attitude. Ashley decided that this was not the way she was going to define herself, and so she began spending her spare time training as a bodybuilder – a sport she had been fond of since her husband, Drew, had previously entered competitions in. On April 10, Ashley competed in the Mel Chancey Champion Muscle Classic held in Orlando, Florida, accompanied by Drew. Despite the obstacles, the 35-year-old managed to finished 1st in the True Novice category and, more importantly, 1st in Open Class D, which allowed her to qualify for national events.

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