- Diagnosed as an infant with cancer, Alexandra "Alex" Scott started selling lemonade to find a cure in her front yard when she was 4 years old.
- With the help of others, Alex would go on to raise more than $1 million to help cure pediatric cancer.
- Today, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is one of the largest childhood cancer charities in the United States.
The following was written by Liz Scott, the mother of Alex Scott, founder of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
When my late daughter Alex set out in our front yard at the age of 4 to sell lemonade to cure cancer, I was proud of her, but I didn’t think that her little lemonade stand could make a difference in the world. At that point, Alex had been battling neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, since she was an infant and in her words “wanted to help my doctors help kids like they helped me.” That day in our front yard was a real testament to the generosity and love of strangers. Hundreds of people came by our house, some with smiles, some with tears, but they kept coming and coming. At the end of the day, Alex had raised more than $2000 and donated it to her local hospital. I still marvel at what has happened since Alex opened up her first lemonade stand 14 years ago…
Back then, I was full of hope that Alex would be cured. She definitely had that same hope. It was amazing that beginning on day one, people from all walks of life responded to Alex’s story. Not only did they donate to her lemonade stand, but as word spread about what she was doing, people started to hold their own lemonade stands and send her the money they raised! It was even more incredible to see how this continued year after year, with each year bringing more attention and more support for Alex’s efforts.
Over the years, I have heard many people describe Alex’s Lemonade Stand as miraculous. It makes me pause because it did not always feel miraculous.
Throughout Alex’s 7.5 year fight with cancer, I was desperate for a miracle to come along that could finally give her the cure she deserved. As much as I wanted it, no one wanted it more than Alex. I once heard Alex ask her older brother if he believed in miracles… when he did not quickly respond, she jumped in and said “I do, I mean I could wake up one day and my cancer could be gone, that would be a miracle.” That was Alex, she kept her faith and remained optimistic.
Later, when she knew her miracle would not come, she didn’t give up on her belief that there could be future cures. I think it was then that Alex decided that she wanted to play a larger role in helping other kids like her--she wanted to take one last stand against cancer. So, in spring of 2004, Alex called on others to help her raise $1 million to find a cure for the disease that was taking her life. That call to action became a movement, and Alex reached her goal of $1 million in July of 2004. Ten days later, she passed away, knowing she had created something special to help others.
Today, her little lemonade stand has grown into her legacy. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, founded in her memory, has raised more than $150 million and funded over 800 research projects for pediatric cancer across the country.
For a long time, it was hard for me to reconcile the fact that Alex did so much to help others while the cure she needed never came. But over the past few years, we have heard stories of kids who have been given a second chance at life because of research funded because of her lemonade stand. In most cases, these were kids like Alex who were running out of treatment options. Their parents were just like us, their hearts broken over and over with each day their child’s cancer did not respond to treatment. To see kids like Alex get the cure they deserve and to imagine the joy and relief their parents experienced, made everything come full circle. I know I will not reconcile the fact that Alex was not cured; it will never be right and there will never be anything that can make it right. But I also know that despite the fact that she didn't get her miracle, her life in itself was a miracle—the way that she took advantage of the time she was given to help others, the way she inspired others with her courage, and the hope that her life has provided for others is without a doubt a miracle.
Each year, supporters across the country continue to answer Alex’s call to action to raise $ 1million for research by holding lemonade stands-- Alex named this movement Lemonade Days. You can sign up to be a part of it! It is easy-- just register below to host a lemonade stand in your community any time during Lemonade Days, June 2 – 10.
