Allison was diagnosed with medulloblastoma on April 4, 2007, just one month before her 7th birthday. The surgery successfully removed the tumor, but left her without the ability to speak for a month, a condition known as cerebellar mutism. She went on to have six weeks of radiation and nine chemotherapy treatments, which took 14 months and left her depleted and tired for the better part of two years.
 
As she started to feel better during the summer of 2009, Allison decided to start a project to help other children diagnosed with cancer. Allison's family got a dog, Coco, from the Colorado Correctional Industries K-9 Companion Program. Inmates train rescue dogs to be adopted by families. Coco was very important in making Allison feel better and she wished that she had had the dog during her recovery. So she decided that other kids should have the benefit of a dog and started raising money by selling homemade dog biscuits. She named the dog biscuits Stink Bug because that is what she called her last chemotherapy treatment. By the end of the summer, she had raised over $1400, enough for three families to receive dogs through the prison program. Once other people started hearing about her project, the donations and offers to help came pouring in. The project has raised, to date, over $22,000 and has provided five dogs to families wanting to adopt.
 
Allison turned her own misfortune around and found a way to help families needing to heal. Just like Alex's lemonade Stand, Allison has found a way to help these families beyond a hug, hot meal, and being there to listen. Dogs lower stress for patients and caregivers and help them heal. Cancer survivors like Allison know how to help other kids and make the world a better place.
 
Website: www.stinkbugproject.org
 
Written Dianna Litvak, Allison’s Mother
04/10

June 2015 Update: Alli is now 15, and a sophomore in high school. She continues to raise money to give dogs to children through the Stink Bug Project.