Introducing Operation Lemonade

Alexandra “Alex” Scott was born to Jay and Liz Scott on January 18, 1996. 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, 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 United States, about 12,000 children every year are diagnosed with cancer. Although most of these children will get better, cancer is a very serious disease that takes thousands of children’s lives every year. Sadly, childhood cancer research is vastly and consistently underfunded. In fact, after after being told by doctors at several hospitals that were no more treatments to try for her, Alex and her family had to move from their home in Connecticut to Philadelphia, where Children‛s Hospital of Philadelphia had some treatments that were not available anywhere else.

Several chemotherapies, numerous surgeries, and the loss of young hospital friends was a lot for a little girl to endure. But this was Alex.

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.” Her parents asked her what she wanted to buy. Alex told them she wasn‛t going to keep the money—she was going to give it to her doctors to help kids with cancer get better. Her parents were surprised, but warned her that she probably would not raise very much money—maybe five to ten dollars. Alex didn’t care.

On a scorching hot day in July,  Alex went out to sell lemonade from her front yard. Some people came with smiles and some with tears—but all showed an unusual thirst for lemonade. Alex raised about $2,000 during her first lemonade stand. She said it was the best thing that ever happened to her.

Alex kept holding lemonade stands in her front yard. Over time, many people came to believe in Alex and her cause. When the national news media got involved, Alex‛s Lemonade Stand story quickly spread. It started locally, then went national and international. Alex did many personal interviews, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today show, the CBS Early Show, and Good Housekeeping magazine. Alex’s story was featured in hundreds of newspapers, and on radio and television. Sometimes the attention was overwhelming for Alex and she tired easily from her illness. But she wanted people to know about childhood cancer and knew it would help get the word out and raise more money. People of all ages responded by sending in donations or by setting up their own lemonade stands to help Alex with her mission.

Alex thought that as long as people still came to the lemonade stands, she would continue to have them. Her parents were right there with her when she got tired or needed a break. Alex didn‛t give up—she had a goal of $1 million. When Alex passed away in 2004 at the age of eight, she had just surpassed her goal.

Alex’s parents have continued to grow Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in her honor. In just a few years, the foundation has been able to fund more than 50 projects related to childhood cancer across the country, ranging from research into the causes of childhood cancer, to making the latest treatments available, to finding better treatments for children with cancer.

Their goal is to raise $5 million dollars this year.

With your help we can substantially help them reach their goal. Stay tuned for opportunities throughout the year to help answer the call.