Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) has committed $25 million to its new initiative, The Crazy 8, striving for a future free of childhood cancer.

Continuing to distinguish itself as a leader in funding pediatric cancer research, ALSF has launched a first-of-its-kind initiative in the fight against childhood cancer. The Crazy 8 Initiative is a commitment to develop a comprehensive, attainable plan to find cures for pediatric cancers by bringing together the world’s leading childhood cancer researchers to solve eight critical problems.

This group of over 90 peer nominated thought-leaders included researchers, data scientists, oncologists and members of the FDA and pharma, came together for the first time in Philadelphia to identify some of the addressable problems in the fight for cures. They were split into groups, each focusing on creating a roadmap to solve one of eight crucial issues: neuroblastoma, embryonal brain cancers, high grade gliomas, fusion positive sarcomas, fusion negative sarcomas, leukemia, big data and acceleration of clinical trials in pediatric cancer. Each of these solutions would represent a significant impact in the field of childhood cancer.

“Although we have humble front yard beginnings that started with our daughter’s lemonade stand, we have an ambitious large scale plan to eradicate childhood cancer as the number one disease killer of children. The Crazy 8 initiative is a giant step toward solving the many challenges of finding new cures for children with cancer.” said Liz Scott, Alex’s Mom and Co-Executive Director of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

From the strong momentum and ideas generated at the first meeting, ALSF will start its $25 million commitment in February 2019 by funding Pilot grants totaling $1 million. This initial million will be dispersed among the groups to push their ideas forward and continue to build upon real change for kids fighting cancer. Each of the eight groups pinpointed key actionable items ranging from multiplex ion beam imaging of childhood cancers to targeting specific drivers of cancer to overcoming obstacles to drug development in children. To jumpstart this Pilot funding, Flashes of Hope, a Cleveland based childhood cancer charity, has generously donated $100,000 to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the Crazy 8.

To support The Crazy 8 Initiative or for more information visit, AlexsLemonade.org/Crazy-8-Initiative .

About Childhood Cancer

Childhood cancer is a general term used to describe cancer in children occurring regularly, randomly and sparing no ethnic group, socioeconomic class or geographic region. Childhood cancer extends to over a dozen types of cancers and a countless amount of subtypes. Just a few of these cancer types include: Ewing sarcoma, glioma, leukemia, lymphoma, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and Wilms’ tumor. In the United States, childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15. Every day, approximately 250 kids around the world die from cancer, accounting for 91,250 losing their lives to the disease every year.

About Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $150 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding nearly 1,000 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. In addition, ALSF provides support to families affected by childhood cancer through programs such as Travel For Care and SuperSibs. For more information on Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit AlexsLemonade.org.

About Flashes of Hope

Flashes of Hope is a nonprofit organization that changes the way children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses see themselves through the gift of photography, and raises money for pediatric cancer research. The portraits, taken by award-winning photographers, help children feel better about their changing appearance by celebrating it. For families of terminally ill children, it's especially important to have a portrait that preserves forever the beauty, grace and dignity of their child. Flashes of Hope’s goal is to photograph every child, until every child is cured. For more information on Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit FlashesofHope.org

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