This year, Lily's Lemonade Stand is for her friends.

When you buy a cup (or 100 cups, please!), you will be sipping in the beautiful stories of some of my favorite people in the world, my heroes. In honor of all those children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who fight, have fought and will continue to sell lemonade for their friends, until cures for pediatric cancer are found, I ask, I beg you to raise a glass to these amazing blessings.

• For Avi, Lily's proton radiation buddy. Avi is alive, thriving and in remission from a brain tumor. His mom, Yael, always reminds me with her grit and determination that this is a fight we can win, if we stay strong.

• For Devon, the first little girl Temple Lacrosse adopted. Devon, who to me, is like a sister for Lily, albeit from heaven.

• For Charlotte, who is perhaps the kindest, most delightful child I have ever encountered. From the moment Lily meant Charlotte two weeks ago at a Alex's Lemonade Family picnic,  Charlotte was her hostess--inviting her to play, giving her the scoop on what activities were happening and then during a lemon hunt--giving Lily one of her lemons--so Lily would not only have one in her bag. That sort of generosity does not happen on the school playground. 

•  For Cassie, my cousin Jen's daughter. Cassie, who is beautiful, strong and a leukemia survivor. Someday, I know she will be there when Lily is grown and beautiful and needs another survivor to lean on.

• For my dear friend Dina's son Owen, who is quiet possibly a genius. Owen had a brain tumor; now he is a light in every room. I never knew Dina before cancer--she, too,  is one of those lights that shines in the darkness--everyday I thank God for her open invitation to vent. 

• For Drew, beautiful, beautiful Drew. His mother Catherine, always reminds me that we have to keep moving forward and we have to pray for each other. 

• For Calla. Calla, another ependymoma survivor and a preemie just like Lily. Calla is briliant--and her mother Shanda was my first brain tumor friend. She broke me in, taught me the ropes and is still my constant role model. 

•  And there is my hero, Liz Scott, Alex's Mom. She saved me one day at CHOP--I was done--and there she was standing up in front of loads of people--telling us there was hope, telling us that we could do it and Liz Scott is right, we can do it--together. 

 
See you June 11. If you can't make the date, donate online and we will save you a glass of lemonade.
Lily's Lemonade Page:
http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/70462