Why did Alex’s Lemonade Stand start?
When Alex, who was diagnosed with childhood cancer just before her first birthday, was 4, she told her parents she wanted to set up a front yard lemonade stand. Her plan: to give the money to doctors to help them find a cure. While bravely fighting her own cancer, Alex continued to set up lemonade stands every year.
Read more on www.alexslemonade.org
Alexandra “Alex” Scott, a little child, had a big heart. She was given the early childhood cancer diagnosis of neuroblastoma when she was just four years old. Alex became concerned while receiving therapy when she realized that other sick kids didn’t have the same resources at their disposal as she did. She decided to generate money for pediatric cancer research by setting up a lemonade stand in her front yard. The story of Alex’s Lemonade Stand began at that point. In 2000, Alex held his first lemonade stand. That year, she raised $2,000 and gave it to her local hospital. Every year she held a lemonade stand, which became a tradition, she increased the amount she raised. After learning about Alex’s cause, people from all around the nation contributed donations to her lemonade shop. Alex died in 2004 at the age of eight, yet her legacy endured. Alex’s parents, Liz and Jay Scott, carried on the family custom of having a lemonade stand in her honor. They established the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) to carry on Alex’s quest for a pediatric cancer cure. Since its founding, the foundation has significantly expanded and has now raised more than $200 million. The funds raised by ALSF are used to support research into new cancer treatments and cures for kids. In addition to sponsoring research, ALSF also offers assistance to families whose children have cancer. They provide financial aid to families who are having a hard time with their child’s medical bills and other connected costs. By linking families with other families going through similar circumstances, they also offer emotional support. Many people have been motivated to join the fight against children cancer through Alex’s Lemonade Stand. The group has organized nationwide lemonade days, where anyone can set up their own lemonade stands to collect money for ALSF. The group has also held lemonade stands all over the world. Alex’s influence on the globe throughout her brief eight-year existence is simply astounding.
To sum up, Alex’s Lemonade Stand began as a method for a little girl to support other sick kids. Since then, it has developed into a widespread movement that has helped support cancer-affected families and raised millions of dollars for research into childhood cancer. People are still motivated to change the world by Alex’s legacy, and her lemonade stand will always stand for tenacity and optimism in the fight against pediatric cancer.