My 9 year old decided we are hosting our own Lemonade Stand/ Bake Sale to help raise funds for childhood cancer research through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation! We registered our event yesterday & it will be held in our front lawn (where Alex's started!) on Saturday June 11, 2011.
Please read her story (taken from the "Meet our Founder" section on their website):
"Alexandra 'Alex' Scott was born to Liz and Jay Scott in Manchester, Connecticut on January 18, 1996, the second of four children.
Shortly before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. On her first birthday, the doctors informed Alex's parents that if she beat her cancer it was doubtful that she would ever walk again. Just two weeks later, Alex slightly moved her leg at her parents' request to kick. This was the first indication of who she would turn out to be - a determined, courageous, confident and inspiring child with big dreams and big accomplishments.
By her second birthday, Alex was crawling and able to stand up with leg braces. She worked hard to gain strength and to learn how to walk. She appeared to be beating the odds, until the shattering discovery within the next year that her tumors had started growing again. In the year 2000, the day after her fourth birthday, Alex received a stem cell transplant and informed her mother, 'when I get out of the hospital I want to have a lemonade stand.' She said she wanted to give the money to doctors to allow them to 'help other kids, like they helped me.' True to her word, she held her first lemonade stand later that year and raised an amazing $2,000 for 'her hospital.'
While bravely battling her own cancer, Alex continued to hold yearly lemonade stands in her front yard to benefit childhood cancer research. News spread of the remarkable sick child dedicated to helping other sick children. People from all over the world, moved by her story, held their own lemonade stands and donated the proceeds to Alex and her cause.
In August of 2004, Alex passed away at the age of 8, knowing that, with the help of others, she had raised over $1 million to help find a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex's family - including brothers Patrick, Eddie, and Joey - and supporters around the world are committed to continuing her inspiring legacy through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation."
~ Alex & her original Lemonade Stand ~
This story & this little girl, and so many others out there, are so wonderfully inspiring! I am very proud that our family is going to participate & help!! I hope that those of you reading this will mark your calendars & come out to join us at our "Amazing Lemonade 'n More" Event! Also, anyone willing to donate lemonade, ice, baked goods, etc. or ask your work for donations to help us out will be GREATLY appreciated! Please help us make this a success!
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