This week, CK Family Services foster parents, Alan and Ashleigh Conway, were honored in Frisco as part of the Savannah Bananas Tour Stop. The recognition came through the Bananas Foster organization, an initiative launched by Emily and Jesse Cole, the creators of the legendary Savannah Bananas baseball program, now known as The Greatest Show in Sports. As foster parents themselves, the Coles founded Bananas Foster with the mission of making a real difference in the foster care community.
Called to Foster
For Ashleigh and Alan, fostering had always been on their hearts. With a background in fostering animals and an awareness of the need in child welfare, the idea kept surfacing. In 2018, they both felt God was making it clear—it was time to step into foster care.
Ashleigh recalls a defining moment in her journey: “I had considered having a biological child first, but after an injury and a conversation with my doctor, I felt the Lord show me His plan. I took it as a sign that I should not carry my own children, but instead take care of those that are already here and in need.”
So began their foster parenting journey.
Building a Family
The Conways’ first placements were two little girls, Elizabeth and Rosalie. After fostering them for two years, the family joyfully adopted both daughters. Over the next five years, their home welcomed six newborns, two teenagers, and two toddlers, with many more to come.
One of their most impactful placements was a newborn boy diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to early neglect. Recognizing his needs, the Conways took extra training and converted their home into a Primary Medical Needs (PMN) foster home. Three years later, they adopted their son Michael.
In 2022, they welcomed Ivy, a baby diagnosed with hydranencephaly, a condition where both brain hemispheres are absent. Doctors expected she might only live a few weeks. Instead, through love and miracles, she was adopted by the Conway family and lived past her first birthday. Ashleigh shared: “We miss our sweet girl every day, but we’re thankful that she is healed and in heaven now. We use her memory to spur us forward to help more children in need, especially those who are medically fragile.”
Strength in Trials
The Conways believe their past uniquely prepared them for this journey. Years earlier, Alan survived a roadside attack in Iraq while serving in the military. If you met him today, you would never know what he endured, which is a tremendous blessing, but the recovery process was long and demanding, filled with countless medical appointments, surgeries, and therapies. Walking through that season gave the Conways resilience and a deep well of advocacy skills that now serve their foster children well. At the same time, Ashleigh’s natural organizational strengths became invaluable in managing the extensive paperwork and requirements of specialized medical care. “We feel that God has given us a set of talents, and we should use those to help these children in need,” Ashleigh explains. Today, the Conways primarily foster medically fragile children, though they remain open to placements of all types.
How to Support Foster Families
When asked the best ways to support foster families, Ashleigh and her husband offered practical advice:
- Prayer first. Foster families need spiritual strength and encouragement.
- Meals during the first two weeks of a placement. This helps the entire family while they adjust to the needs of a new child in their home, source needed items, attend medical appointments, and schedule family visits.
- Offer resources. Reach out and ask families what they need. Churches and organizations with clothing closets or baby supplies can make a big difference, but foster families also might need things like furniture or baby equipment that their friends and family could help with.
- Become a respite family. By becoming trained and background-checked, you can provide foster parents with much-needed breaks.
A Legacy of Love
The Conways’ story is one of sacrifice, faith, and immeasurable love. From adoption to medical advocacy to cherishing the memory of little Ivy, their journey shows what it means to follow God’s call with open hands and open hearts. Their recognition at the Banana Ball World Tour shines a light not only on their family but also on the thousands of foster parents quietly living out extraordinary love every day.
