Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

The Big East Tournament

2010-03-12T16:03:00.006-05:00

If you read last week’s blog, you may know that Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has had the immense honor of hosting a lemonade stand at The Big East Tournament this week. The Big East Tournament is the longest running conference tournament at any one site in all of college basketball, and determines the conference champion. In addition, the winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Due to our location, many of our employees, ourselves included, are fans of the teams involved. The teams represented by the employees in our office include: UConn, Syracuse, Villanova, Seton Hall and more. So needless to say, we were thrilled to count The Big East Tournament among our 10 high profile stands for 2010.

We should also mention that we owe our presence at this tournament to our founding sponsor Volvo.

The excitement for the 16 teams involved in the tournament, and for our staff at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, began on Tuesday, March 9. As the first day’s games got underway, our lemonade stand officially opened for business. We were lucky enough to have a prime piece of real estate directly outside of Madison Square Garden’s main entrance, nearly every fan passed by on their way to see the tournament action. While we did certainly see some familiar faces, including Villanova’s Tri Delta sorority members, Alex’s Lemonade Stand also garnered some new fans.

As the games continued, and we drew closer to the championship, the lemonade stand returned to MSG on Thursday and Friday. We were treated to many performances by school cheerleading squads and bands – the school spirit was definitely palpable. Many of the squads stopped by the lemonade stand for refreshments, photos and to learn more about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Overall the week was a huge success not only in funds, but also in awareness raised, and of course on Saturday one team will solidify their place as the best of the Big East!

What a wonderful experience for everyone on the staff, and we owe a big thank you to Volvo. Here’s hoping that we’ll be back for more college hoops action next year!

- Jay Scott, Alex's Dad

Athletes Help Alex’s

2010-03-05T13:01:00.010-05:00

Here at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer we love our lemonade stands. We also love the many other creative ways that our volunteers choose to support us. Something we have seen become an increasing trend over the years is the support of athletes and sporting events in the battle against childhood cancer. Athletes from all sporting arenas and all skill levels support ALSF, whether they are simply participating in an annual softball tournament or taking us along with them to the pinnacle of their sport (ie. the Super Bowl). We are so amazed by their athleticism and dedication to the cause that we thought it was only natural to create a special campaign for them.

Hence, Team Lemon was born! Team Lemon gives athletes of all skill levels, including those who are striving to become athletes, a way to raise funds and awareness for ALSF while achieving their athletic goals. One example of this is a group of five cousins who decided to take part in the Mardi Gras Rock and Roll Marathon in New Orleans this year. They knew that running a marathon would be physically and mentally demanding, but felt it was an attainable challenge. So while they were training, they decided it would be appropriate to also raise funds for children who are on a much more demanding path as they make their way through their cancer treatments. With young cancer fighters as their motivation, these cousins finished the race in New Orleans last weekend, and raised nearly $8,000 for ALSF in the process!

When we think back over the history of ALSF, there have been so many athletes who have contributed along the way. In 2005, there was thoroughbred race horse Afleet Alex who joined the fight against childhood cancer not long after we lost our own Alex. Afleet Alex had a remarkable spirit, and showed us at the Preakness, that even after stumbling, you can recover, give it your all, and win the race. Then last year another amazing sports figure presented himself to the foundation, Kenny Herriot, a world champion wheelchair athlete, cycled across the US to raise funds and awareness for ALSF. What an inspirational person Kenny is, though he experienced several hurdles during his cross country trek, he did not give up and finished his amazing race for kids with cancer.

Finally, this year as we have entered the first months of our 10th Anniversary Year, more athletes and venues have been showing their support. First it was the NFL allowing us to set up lemonade stands at the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl, and now the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City will welcome a lemonade stand! We cannot begin to tell you how inspired we have been by all the athletes who have ever supported ALSF, and so we decided it was time to do something about it! So, after a decade (or two!) of not running or exercising regularly, and with encouragement from my co-workers and Jay, I will be running in the 10-mile Broad Street Run on Sunday, May 2, 2010. Jay has generously agreed to run the race as well and we have already begun training. Although it seems daunting at times, we look forward to joining the ranks of the many athletes who have supported Alex’s Lemonade Stand and kids with cancer over the years. Thank you for your continued dedication, and for inspiring us to become official members of Team Lemon.

- Liz Scott, Alex's Mom

A Grantee Stops By

2010-02-26T15:37:00.003-05:00

As we continue our quest to find cures for all childhood cancers, we are constantly amazed by the dedication of the researchers who receive funding from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Through our grants program, we see firsthand how passionate they are about improving the lives of children facing cancer, and we want to share this with all of our supporters, including our own staff and Board of Directors. The funds that are raised in the name of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation are allowing these grantees to lead the way to a day when cures become realities.

During one of our recent Board of Directors meetings, we invited one of these grantees to talk about his childhood cancer research, and the path that led him there. His name is Donald W. Parsons, MD, PhD, of Texas Children’s Cancer Center. Dr. Parsons, or Will as he likes to be called, was awarded a Young Investigator Grant by the foundation in 2007, and more recently was among the first recipients of our prestigious “A” Award. During his visit, we learned many things about Will, and maybe even something a little surprising – he did not plan to go into pediatrics. In fact, Will didn’t even initially plan on becoming a doctor. However, his path would eventually lead him there, and during his first rotation in residency, he chose pediatrics as a specialty, and has been dedicated ever since to making a difference for the amazing children he meets every day.

Funding from us has allowed Will and many other pediatric oncologists to pursue their passion and stay in childhood cancer research. Now, Will finds himself both treating patients and doing research in the lab. He is equally focused on patient care, and his patients inspire his determination to research genes that may be related to brain tumors. His research is promising, and has resulted in the identification of numerous mutated genes that contribute to tumor initiation and growth. It seems he is well on his way to uncovering the keys to unlock the causes and cures for brain tumors.

We are so thankful to Dr. Parsons and all of our grantees for their amazing work. Like us, these individuals have dedicated their lives to eradicating childhood cancer, and though you may not hear a great deal about them, they are working every day behind the scenes on behalf of children. We wanted to share this experience with all of you, and below you will find a short video of Will’s visit.

- Liz & Jay Scott, Alex's parents

2010 ALSF T-Shirt Contest

2010-02-19T15:48:00.011-05:00

There are so many exciting things happening at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation as part of our 10th Anniversary Year – and we want to involve all of you as much as possible. As we went through our initial planning stages for the year ahead, we thought why not give our supporters the opportunity to design our 2010 commemorative t-shirt?!

So, that’s exactly what we did! Starting on Wednesday, February 3, we issued a challenge to all of our supporters - design our 2010 t-shirt. The only requirement– submit a unique design that would help us commemorate our milestone year. Initially, the contest was slated to run for only 10 days, but when a nor’easter blew through much of the country, we extended through Sunday, February 9.

From there, the ALSF staff worked fervently to narrow down the submission to the top 3. It wasn’t long before the submissions, created both by hand and electronically, took over our conference room as the staff gathered to vote. Collectively we were able to identify our top three and we sent the final vote back to our supporters. With over 2,000 votes, the winning design was crowned:

>> PRE-ORDER THE SHIRT TODAY!

We would like to thank all those who participated and congratulate the winning designer, Brad Hosbach. Hosbach is a middle school art teacher who paints and designs t-shirts in his free time. Not only will Brad have his design featured on our 2010 t-shirt, but he will also receive an ALSF prize pack along with the other two finalists.

Here are the other top designs:

Follow us on twitter and facebook for more opportunities to contribute to our 2010 celebratory year!

- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Introducing the Hero Ambassador Program

2010-02-12T13:57:00.005-05:00

As you probably know by now, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is dedicated to finding better treatments and ultimately cures for all childhood cancers. To reach that goal, we know that we not only need to raise lots of money but we also need to increase understanding of what childhood cancer is, what it means for families fighting the disease, and just how many children and families it affects.

Although at times it is very difficult, Jay and I feel very lucky as parents to share our family’s story of childhood cancer with thousands of people around the country. Of course we have had some help through the media in spreading Alex’s mission and message, but we also have the opportunity throughout the year to visit businesses, schools, conferences, hospitals and many other venues. While there, we get to share our personal experiences with childhood cancer, and put a face to the cause.

When I give a talk, I always try to express to the audience the fact that we are not unique in our experience with childhood cancer - that there are millions of other families out there who share very similar experiences. Many audiences are surprised by how many families are affected by childhood cancer each year, and that it remains the number one disease killer of children under the age of 15 in the United States.

If you have spent any time on our website, I am sure you have been moved, as I have by the Hero Stories of children with cancer. In their parents’ words, we learn about these smart, cute, brave, and heroic cancer fighters and laugh, cry, and hope along with them. With all of these touching stories to share, along with the incredible network of families of childhood cancer that we are lucky to be a part of, we decided to create a program that would allow these families to share their stories, advocate for the cause, and take an empowered role in the fight that means so much to them.

So, with the help of Shirley, our Resources Coordinator, and input from some parents of children with cancer, we have created a program to allow family members of childhood cancer fighters to go out into their communities, represent the cause as no one else can, and talk about their personal experiences. In that regard, we are excited to introduce the “Hero Ambassador Program,” launched last week on our website. In just one week, we already have dozens of parents who have signed up to become ambassadors for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, for the cause, and for the cure!

To find out more about the Hero Ambassador program, or how you can become involved in it, visit:

www.alexslemonade.org/hero-ambassador

- Liz Scott, Alex's Mom

Kicking Off Our 10th Anniversary Year

2010-02-04T13:48:00.010-05:00

As you may know, 2010 marks 10 years since Alex held her very first front yard lemonade stand. We are hoping that this year will be the biggest yet for the foundation, and last week our family was in Miami for what I think was an appropriate kick off!

Late last year we got an invitation from the NFL to set up a lemonade stand at The Pro Bowl, which would be held on Sunday, January 31, 2010. The Pro Bowl would be a little different this year, held at the same venue as the Super Bowl the week before. At the NFL's request, the concessionaire for the event, Boston Culinary Group, not only agreed to hold a lemonade stand, but took it the next level by suggesting we leave the stand up for the Super Bowl to capture two crowds, two events, and raise the most money! I was amazed that, with all of the planning, hype, and football mania surrounding these two events, that the NFL and Boston Culinary Group would take this on! When we mentioned that this would be the kick off for our 10th anniversary year, they considered it an honor.

Dreaming big, like Alex, my original thoughts were that we would make a big media splash, get players, and other celebrities to come by, with visions of a stand that would surely rival the Super Bowl experience itself. Our family, Jay, myself and Alex’s brothers, planned to be at this important and potentially big event. As the plans started to materialize, I learned to appreciate the sheer magnitude of planning and communicating that it takes to make them such a success. We prepared for our stand, and received confirmation from David Krichavsky, who heads up NFL Community Relations, that he would join us for a celebratory toast that morning. As the stand approached, it became obvious that my big vision was going to be a little more low key, but I looked forward to attending and seeing what might happen!

The day before the Pro Bowl our family went to Sun Life Stadium to bring our banners and finish setting up; we were met with smiling faces and staff willing to help, even as they raced to finish before the big day. It was powerful to see the banners go up at our stand, right in the middle of the event, knowing what some brands and companies go through for that type of real estate during the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl.

When the day of the stand arrived, I have to admit I was nervous and not sure what to expect from the staff that was working at the stand. I also worried that our celebratory toast would feel empty without all of the hype I had originally imagined. We arrived, circled for parking, and already I thought that the day wasn’t going well. However, once we arrived at the stand, we were greeted with huge smiles and handshakes. I quickly shared Alex’s story with the staff manning the stand and not 5 minutes later the enthusiastic staff were repeating the story, handing out flyers, and serving lemonade as if they were longtime supporters of the foundation. As noon approached, David from the NFL approached with two football players from the San Francisco 49ers, Takeo Spikes and Patrick Willis, who took time out of their busy day to make a toast with us.

Once again, we shared the story, and then it was time to grab some lemonade. As we raised our glasses, I said a quick “To a cure within the next 10 years.” And so it went off without a lot of fuss, and I couldn't help but think that Alex would have loved to be there. Always humble and a little shy, she enjoyed meeting people who just wanted to help. She didn't expect lots of attention and didn't need it to make a connection with people. She just needed people who cared, took the time to stop and help, and of course lemonade!

I look forward to hearing about the Super Bowl stand this weekend and I will watch the game, knowing that Alex had a small presence there and more importantly, that pediatric cancer was acknowledged at one of the most famous sporting events in the world.

A special thanks to Mary and David from the NFL, and Tom and the entire crew from Boston Culinary Group, as well as Country Time Lemonade for sending enough lemonade to supply thousands of cups. For your support ~ here's to a cure in 10 years.

- Liz Scott, Alex's Mom

A New Year

2010-01-08T16:12:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! Things have been hectic here at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation as we prepare for one of our most important events of the year, our annual gala, The Lemon Ball. It’s hard to believe that this Saturday, January 9, we will celebrate the 4th annual event honoring the life and inspiration of our daughter, Alex. On this special occasion, we will also recognize our Stand Host of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Alex Scott Crystal Cup recipients. These honorees represent only a small fraction of the thousands of amazing people across the country and world who are helping to continue Alex’s dream – a cure for all childhood cancers.

Thanks to our sponsors, an appearance by Jordin Sparks, and everyone in attendance we are looking forward to our biggest event yet. We are expecting nearly 800 guests at the gala, all of them very special to us. We are also very excited to welcome several families whose children have fought or are currently fighting childhood cancer. These families showcase why Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation exists, and really exemplify exactly what this evening is about. While we will certainly enjoy ourselves through the night of dinner, dancing silent and live auctions, we will also be innately aware of the fact that the funds raised at The Lemon Ball will be utilized to change the future of childhood cancer.

In addition to everyone who will be at The Lemon Ball with us on Saturday night, we are also excited to have several landmarks throughout Philadelphia “going yellow” in support of the gala. We are including a list below, and also issuing a challenge to anyone in the Philadelphia area to help us capture this moment in our history. If you are in the area Saturday night and can take a picture of any of these yellow landmarks, and upload them to this website, you can help us reach our “mission” for the evening.

The Cira Centre
The Ben Franklin Bridge
The Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts - 128 North Broad Street
Mellon Bank Center

We are so excited to kick off the New Year with a successful Lemon Ball, and can’t wait to share photos with you, and anecdotes from the evening. It is sure to be a great night, and we couldn’t think of a better way to kick of our 10th Anniversary year (more on this next week)! Thank you to everyone for your immense support over the years, and here’s to making a difference for all children and their families touched by childhood cancer in 2010.

-Liz and Jay Scott, Alex's Parents

Reflecting on why we are here...

2009-12-18T17:07:00.001-05:00

As we head into the final weeks of the year - a time when kids are home from school, and family comes to visit; when some of us will take vacations and all of us will welcome a New Year – we would like to pause for a moment to remember some of the children who have lost their lives to cancer in 2009.

These children remind us of what is important in life, and their lives have forever changed us – they are why we are here, and they are the reason we continue to fight to find better treatments and ultimately cures for childhood cancer.

Please take the time to read about these children, they are our heroes. We honor all of them, remember all of them, and will continue to fight for them until the day that cures become reality.

Here are only two of these amazing hero stories. For more of these hero stories, visit our website.

To celebrate the giving spirit of the holiday season, consider making a donation in honor of all of these kids today.

-Liz & Jay Scott, Alex's Parents

Henry Scheck

Our son Henry was born on July 22, 2004 and was diagnosed with Anaplastic Medulloblastoma on October 13, 2007. He was 3-years-old at time of diagnosis and courageously underwent his treatment over the ensuing 9 months at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Henry had his tumor removed, had three cycles of traditional chemotherapy, two cycles of high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant and had full head and spine radiation over the course of six weeks.

Henry came through all of that with flying colors and was a normal boy enjoying life as a 4-year-old for three months before he relapsed. His relapse was gentle on him, allowing us very good days throughout the fall and winter. Early in 2009 however the tumor growth caught up with him very quickly. Our hero fell on February 25 in our family room at home surrounded by love.

We miss him terribly. We love you Henry.

Written by: Bryan Scheck, Henry's Father

Leah Chapman

Leah Chapman was a vibrant, healthy 13-year-old, who loved playing soccer, enjoyed gymnastics, running track, going to the beach and was an honor student. A few months into her 8th grade year, she was crippled from trigeminal nerve pain. It appeared on her first MRI that Leah had a trigeminal schwannoma (a benign tumor). Leah under went surgery in January of 2008 to remove the tumor, but the neurosurgeon quickly discovered it was not benign but was actually a form of Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma. Leah was immediately referred to the Children’s Hospital. Leah received excellent care from the oncology team and had changed her dream of being a teacher to an oncology nurse practitioner.

Leah's treatment plan called for 4 chemotherapies for a year and daily radiation for six weeks. Leah bravely endured these treatments one day at a time. After 9 months, her tumor resisted all of these treatments and started to grow, causing her crippling pain again. Leah never gave up hope and tried three more treatment protocols to stop her cancer. She had everything to live for, a lifetime of dreams, she was only 14.

Leah, her friends, and family, quickly got involved at her school Alex's Lemonade Stand in September 2008. Thanks to organizer Riley G., they raised over $10,000. Leah was honored when she was able to attend the 2009 Lemon Ball in Philadelphia. Getting dressed up and supporting such a great cause was a dream come true for Leah.

Leah remained determined, positive and hopeful along with her parents, Ray and Christina, and younger brother Eric, that she would be able to survive this devastating illness. Leah's big smile, generous heart, courage, strength and faith during her illness will forever live in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

Leah ultimately lost her life to the disease with grace on April 4th, 2009.

Written by Christina Chapman, Leah's Mother.

A Great Week at ALSF!

2009-12-10T16:51:00.009-05:00

Above: Lemon Ball Preview Party at G in Philadelphia

Above: Holiday Party for Kids with Cancer

What a wonderful – and busy – week it has been for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Yesterday, Wednesday, December 9, 2010 the foundation had two events – a holiday party for kids with cancer, and the preview party for our annual gala celebration, The Lemon Ball. Both events really reminded us of why we are here – for the kids! We were able to see some childhood cancer fighters and their families open presents, and spend the evening with some of our supporters at G Lounge creating a lot of excitement for the upcoming Lemon Ball.

We were also proud to make a big announcement at the preview party thrown by Govberg Jewelers. With the support of sponsor MIKE AND IKE® Brand Candies, ALSF will welcome Grammy nominated recording artist, Jordin Sparks, to the 2010 Lemon Ball on Saturday, January 9, 2010! This has always been an amazing event celebrating Alex’s legacy, honoring children and families who have and continue to battle childhood cancer, and recognizing our amazing supporters for allowing us to continue what Alex started. Jordin will only add to that, and if it is possible, make the evening even more special.

To make things just a little bit more hectic this week, we have been busily packing in anticipation for our move on Friday. Over the past few years we have outgrown our current office and are moving to a larger space. We are staying in our home of Wynnewood, and only moving around the block, so if you are planning a visit soon, please make note of our new address – 29 East Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096.

Check out some photos above from yesterday’s events, and click here to learn more about The Lemon Ball and Jordin Sparks’ appearance!

-Liz & Jay Soctt, Alex's Parents

The Final Weeks of 2009

2009-12-04T16:23:00.006-05:00

With Thanksgiving behind us, we are officially entering the final weeks of 2009. It’s hard to believe that another year is nearly over, and though we are very excited for what 2010 will bring, our efforts to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer never stop.

As you know, the mission of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer is to find a cure for all childhood cancers. However, while we fund research leading us toward these cures, it is also important to improve the lives of children with cancer and their families now. We are constantly looking for news ways to make a tangible difference, as evidenced through both our nursing grants program and our Travel Fund. One other thing we are doing to make the lives of childhood cancer fighters and their families a little brighter is hosting a holiday party next week.

Speaking of the holidays, there are several ways that you can help us reach our goal for 2009 while also celebrating the holiday season. Whether it’s using our holiday cards to send to friends and family, purchasing ALSF merchandise or products that support ALSF as holiday gifts, or even holding a cold weather lemonade stand (here’s a tip – use hot chocolate instead of lemonade), there are so many creative ways to make a difference in 2009.

Thank you so much for all your support this year, let’s make this holiday season the best one yet!

PS - If you’re on Facebook, here’s one more way you can help:

Regift the Fruitcake – ALSF is participating in this holiday campaign to raise awareness of childhood cancer. If we raise the most money, we will be awarded $20,000, if we earn the most points, we’ll win $5,000! Visit our website to find out how you can get started today!

-Liz & Jay Scott, Alex's parents

ALSF is thankful for...

2009-11-25T10:28:00.008-05:00

As the impending holiday approaches, we thought it would only be fitting to dedicate this blog to what we at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer are thankful for. We are most thankful for our amazing volunteers and supporters - without you, we wouldn’t be making a difference in the world of childhood cancer – so this Thanksgiving – we are thankful for you! We are also thankful for Alex and all of the heroes who continue to inspire us every day – we are here for them. Words cannot express our gratitude to everyone who continues to be involved in the battle against childhood cancer, thank you for joining us on this journey toward a cure.

Here are what some of our hero families, grantees, and supporters have said they are thankful for this holiday season:

“We have so much to be thankful for this year, but mostly we are thankful for our son feeling well and being excited for the holidays. We are thankful for friends and family who have stood in prayer and strong support over the past four years and have helped us to be able to spend as much time together as a family as possible.”

“Thank you again for your generous support; it has been instrumental in our work to identify new pathways to target in childhood leukemia and brings us closer to curing all children with leukemia and other cancers. Preliminary results funded by Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation have also enabled us to obtain additional funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other sources to carry on this important work to cure childhood cancer. Thank you again!”

“I live by the motto: "Never Drive Past a Lemonade Stand"...this gives that a whole new meaning. Thank you for inspiring greatness in the ordinary. You can truly change the world by being a positive influence on each individual you encounter.”

“We were so pleasantly surprised by a gift of gasoline cards upon enrolling in a clinical trial at Oregon. Our 12-year-old daughter has a very rare sarcoma and we will be driving down to Portland once a week for her to receive a promising investigational drug. Thank you so much for this gift - it was such an unexpected boost and we were also able to learn about the wonderful things that Alex inspired and that her foundation continues to do.”

“I would just like to thank you for featuring my son, Conlan, as a hero. We have just begun this journey so it is hard for us to be able to help out others, but I am definitely looking into hosting a lemonade stand.”

“I believe if we had more children like Alex this world would be a better place, so I thank all youth who participate in activities that make this world a better place.”

“What an inspiration Alex and all the heroes are. The stories are so moving that I cannot stop reading them. Thanks for all that you do.”

What our followers on Twitter are thankful for:

@faeriesrck – I’m thankful for a child showing us how simple it is to help raise money for a great cause by holding a lemonade stand!

@glitteratiglue - I'm thankful for my older brother surviving leukemia :)

@LalErin - St. Louis Children’s Hospital NICU staff and Dr's for saving my son’s life!!! Ah-mazing!

@groupiness - I'm so thankful for a job I love, a family who is happy & healthy, and the ability to give back to those in need!

For more of what our supporters are thankful for this year, view our Thanksgiving 2009 video, posted above.

Or – tell us what you’re thankful for on our Twitter page – www.twitter.com/AlexsLemonade

- Liz & Jay Scott, Alex's Parents

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation from football to fundraising surprises

2009-11-20T13:49:00.005-05:00

Over the past couple of weeks, we have heard several fun-filled and heartwarming stories about Alex’s Lemonade Stand events. They took place in various parts of the country, celebrating various occasions, but they all seemed to have one thing in common – an unmistakable spirit of giving.

Pat's Steaks in Philadelphia sporting Alex's gear!

The first event was hosted by the Lemon Society of Philadelphia, the young professionals branch of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. A few weeks ago we got a call from Frankie Olivieri, owner of the famous Pat’s Steaks and a longtime supporter of ALSF. Frankie had an idea – why not hold a day-long lemonade stand at Pat’s prior to the Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles football game. Frankie knew Pat’s would be busy prior to this game between rivals, and he thought what better time to fundraise! So the Lemon Society of Philadelphia took it upon themselves to set up a lemonade stand, and Frankie threw in some great incentives to help the fundraising along. The most popular incentive of the day – a “cut the line pass” allowing the highest bidder to be escorted to the front of the line. The most expensive pass of the day went for $100! Another donation of note, the family of Dallas Cowboy’s owner Jerry Jones stopped by to grab some food before the game and made a $100 donation. All told, over a dozen members of the Lemon Society manned the stand throughout the day, and several other familiar faces came by to say hi and show their support, helping the foundation to raise $6,600 that day! Amazing!

From football to fundraising surprises – in Denver, Colorado, one of our longtime supporters Chuck Boyle and his girlfriend Courtney Pugh were celebrating Chuck’s birthday. As a surprise, Courtney sent Chuck on a scavenger hunt throughout the city, completing various tasks to get to the prize at the end - a surprise visit from his parents who live outside of Chicago. One of the tasks of the day – collect $10 in donations for ALSF from strangers. Can you believe that the first person Chuck stopped on the street and told the story of Alex to, was so inspired that they donated the whole $10 on the spot? It’s true, and Chuck has photo evidence to prove it! What an amazing supporter Chuck is, he became involved when his former fiancé Page Turner was battling her own cancer, Ewing’s sarcoma. Page and Chuck were passionate about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, and after she passed away, Chuck continued their dedication to the cause. Since that time, Courtney has become equally passionate and even more involved, as evidenced by the scavenger hunt! Another example of Chuck and Courtney’s continued support – they hold an annual lemonade stand, and Courtney gives a portion of the proceeds to the foundation from her ahlivv website.

Finally, from fundraising surprises to family - Jay and I attended a surprise 50th Anniversary celebration for my parents last weekend in Rhode Island. It was a day of family (over 60 family members attended), friends (25 close friends of the family were also there), and fundraising for ALSF. While organizing the party, my siblings requested donations to ALSF instead of gifts! The party raised over $1,000!

These three events took place across the country, and though one of them did in fact have a lemonade stand present, they were about so much more. They were about continuing what Alex started in unique and inventive ways. It is amazing to me that what Alex started in our front yard has taken over the world famous Pat’s Steaks for a day; has made it to Colorado for a scavenger hunt; and has forever changed the celebrations in my own life. Though these are only three examples of the thousands of events that took place over the last year, and the hundreds of amazing people who are picking up where Alex left off - they have all changed the path that Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is blazing on the way to finding a cure for all childhood cancers. Thank you to everyone who continues Alex’s dream – we truly couldn’t be making such amazing progress in the battle against childhood cancer without you.

For more unique ways to get involved with the foundation visit our website!
OR if you have a unique idea, tell us about it!

- Liz Scott, Alex's Mother

This week's blog has been pre-empted by some exciting news!

2009-11-13T16:03:00.006-05:00

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, with the help of founding sponsor Volvo and with support from Summit Entertainment, is giving one lucky Twilight fan, and 49 of their closest friends, the opportunity to see New Moon before it hits theaters. Starting today, Friday, November 13, 2009, Twilight fans will have the opportunity to enter a fundraising challenge at AlexsLemonade.org to win a pre-screening of the new Twilight movie for 50 people. The challenge will end at noon Eastern Time on Monday, November 16, 2009, at which time the individual who has raised the most funds for the childhood cancer charity will be awarded a private screening of the movie for Thursday, November 19, one day before it is slated to hit theaters. The screening will take place at an available theater in the United States and within the geographic region of the winner.

In order to enter the fundraising challenge, Twilight fans will need to follow three easy steps:

Create a fundraising page on AlexsLemonade.org
Tell all of their friends
Raise funds for the battle against childhood cancer! The challenge will end at noon Eastern Time on Monday, November 16, 2009.

Only funds raised throughout this specified time period will count and only United States residents are eligible to win the prize. No funds raised offline will be eligible. Visit www.AlexsLemonade.org/Twilight to view challenge details!

Curing Childhood Cancer – through treatments and care

2009-11-06T14:54:00.006-05:00

As you probably know by now, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for all childhood cancers. While on the surface, this statement seems to allude to medical research (which of course is true and vitally important), there is so much more that goes into the everyday lives of children and their families fighting the disease. In 2007, in an ongoing effort to improve the lives and care of kids with cancer, we introduced a Nurse Researcher Grant Program.

These grants are given to nurses to help them find better ways to care for children undergoing cancer treatment. If you have ever been in the hospital for even an hour, you probably know that the person you see the most is your nurse. Nurses have a unique view into what patients go through, and in the case of childhood cancer patients, this is no different. Nurses have an understanding of what simple changes can make a huge difference in recovery times, and overall comfort levels.

Here’s what I mean:

During the first year of this program, one of our grant recipients had the idea that cancer patients’ recovery times could be quicker if their sleep was uninterrupted. We all know that sleep can be your body’s best defense, but when a patient is staying in the hospital they are often woken up in the middle of the night. If they were allowed to sleep uninterrupted throughout the night, without their trash being emptied, or being disturbed for medicine and procedures that could wait until morning, would they have a better recovery time?

Another grant recipient looked into the impact of a teen weekend on the quality of life of adolescents with cancer. These kids had certainly seen other kids with cancer, but they were likely in hospitals or a setting that wasn’t conducive to sharing life experiences. What if they were taken out of that element and allowed to just be? She found out that while they didn’t spend large amounts of time discussing their diagnosis, they did share information and experiences that helped them to better process their own cancer. This study helps to better understand the overall needs of this population, and the subtle ways that we can make their lives better.

2009 Teen Weekend

Having gone through this battle ourselves with Alex, we of course want to see her dream of a cure for all childhood cancer, but we also want to simply make the lives of cancer fighters better in any way that we possibly can. Nursing grants help us to garner tangible results, and results that can make a difference in the lives of these patients now, while the medical researchers are out there doing their job as well. Check out our website for some more information on our Nurse Researcher Grant programs and of course to read about the most recent recipients!

- Liz Scott, Alex's Mother

The Lemon Run finds its Stride…

2009-10-30T10:56:00.012-04:00

Last Sunday, we hosted our first annual Lemon Run – a 5K Run, Family Fun Walk and Kids' Race. Through the years, we have added various fundraising events (beside lemonade stands, of course) in an effort to raise as much money as possible for these amazing kids. We have a formal gala, The Lemon Ball and a “foodie” event The Great Chefs Event, so adding a 5K to get folks outside and moving seemed like a natural next step!

In the days prior to the event there was an abundance of excitement, which seemed to coincide with some nerves. The weather was of course our main concern, as we certainly couldn’t tent the entire course! Both Friday and Saturday were a complete wash, but when we woke up on Sunday something had changed. We started set up in the dark, but by 7AM, the sun was shining brightly for what would turn out to be the perfect day for a run. The sun wasn’t the only thing shining on Sunday, there were hundreds, scratch that, a thousand participants shining a light on the cause of childhood cancer. We were joined by hero families, familiar faces, and a lot of new ones too. In addition to everyone at Ridley Creek State Park on Sunday, there were nearly 100 virtual participants who woke up early in their own neighborhoods to run the 5K at the very same time we were. I am thrilled to report that the first Lemon Run raised over $50,000, which is quite an accomplishment for year one.

A big thank you to everyone who came out as well as those who joined us virtually! For those of you who couldn’t join us, we have put together a video that we think captures the day.

PS – see how many people you can find wearing Lemon Costumes!

- Liz Scott, Alex's Mother

Childhood Cancer Charities Unite

2009-10-23T12:33:00.007-04:00

As I sit here writing this blog, I can't believe that it has been a year since Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation organized the first Childhood Cancer Charity Summit in our hometown of Philadelphia. We have accomplished so much since that time that you would think this partnership was forged years ago. On Monday, October 19, 2009, hosted by the Iron Matt Foundation, we came together for our third face to face meeting, for what is now known as Childhood Cancer Charities Unite (C3U).

3rd Meeting of C3U in Hoboken, NJ

Back in October of 2008, we held the first summit bringing together childhood cancer charities from across the country to brainstorm ways to find better treatments and ultimately cures…NOW. I will admit that though we had high hopes initially, we didn’t know where this experiment might lead. The idea was that if we came together and pooled our resources, we could move faster and go farther in making a difference in the lives of children facing cancer. That first meeting brought together 20 organizations that focus their efforts on funding childhood cancer research.

12 of these organizations attended the meeting outside of New York City on Monday, to tackle the priorities we had set previously. We now have structured committees and are taking strides to address the issues of research, grants, information sharing and mission development.

I am thrilled to say that we now have a mission and a logo!

Childhood Cancer Charities Unite is a national collaboration of leading nonprofit organizations working together to raise awareness and advance research in an effort to find a cure for childhood cancer.

What started as an idea has been put into action, and we are making tangible progress. I truly believe that by collaborating through Childhood Cancer Charities Unite, we are so much stronger and we will find a cure for all the children with cancer faster.

Childhood Cancer Charities Unite Participant List:

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

Bear Necessities

The Butterfly Foundation

Caitlin Robb Foundation

Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation

Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation

Cord Foundation

Curing Kids Cancer

Hope Street Kids

I Care I Cure

IronMatt

The Ishan Gala Foundation

Magic Water Project

The Pediatric Cancer Foundation

PLGA

Rally Foundation

Sarcoma Foundation of America

Solving Kids' Cancer

St. Baldrick's Foundation

Super Jake Foundation

- Jay Scott, Alex's Dad

Bloggin' from Blog World!

2009-10-16T16:40:00.004-04:00

Jay Scott at Blog World 2009

I am writing this from Blog World in Las Vegas. Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation was lucky enough to win a trip to Blog World ( thanks to our devoted supporters who voted for us). It is the largest conference focused on learning about using the internet and social media. We won the trip from Name Your Cause in a contest that focused on getting online votes. I came to Las Vegas expecting to learn a lot from the courses that are being offered. What I had not planned on was meeting so many great people.

The first day of the conference I was invited to sit on a panel and share how ALSF was using social media to help fight childhood cancer. I was inspired beyond belief by the people I sat on the panel with. They included Meaghan from Spirit Jump. Spirit Jump is an organization that lends a helping hand to people who are battling cancer. Read about Meaghan and how she was inspired to start this organization during her own battle with cancer while in law school.

I also met Drew Olanoff from Blame Drew's Cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer this year and decided to let people blame anything they wanted on "his" cancer. He refused to let his cancer get the best of him and has inspired many cancer fighters to do the same. And, I forgot to mention, that he is the centerpiece of getting Drew Carey to raise $1 Million for LiveStrong.

Perhaps the highlight of my trip so far has been meeting Jon Loomer. He came up and introduced himself and we immediately hit it off. His son Michael and my daughter Alex both had neuroblastoma. Thankfully, Michael is now 8 years old and doing great. Michael also has two brothers Ryan and J.J. Although we had never met, Jon and his family live in the Denver area and have been hosting Alex's Lemonade stands for 5 years; his son is featured as a childhood cancer hero on the ALSF web site. It is because of people like Jon, Michael and their family that we are inspired to work so hard to fight childhood cancer. Thanks for inspiring us!

Finally, Alex’s Lemonade Stand is part of an attempt by Blog World to set a Guinness World record for "most shared social message" and we are included in a charity smackdown (of the nicest kind, of course). Be sure to check it out, be a part of it, and donate for ALSF to win!

What a trip so far ! More great stuff to come from Blog World!

Jay Scott, Executive Director of ALSF, aka Alex’s Dad, blogging from Blog World
#beatcancer

Twilight Star Shows Support

2009-10-09T11:34:00.007-04:00

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend my first Peter Facinelli event benefitting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. For those of you who may not be familiar, Peter is an actor currently starring in the Twilight movies, and the Nurse Jackie series on Showtime. Though my husband Jay had already been to the autograph signing in Middletown, New York, I had been at another foundation event, so this was my first chance to meet Peter and witness firsthand the unbelievable support he incites for us.

The event was held in Harrisburg, at the aptly titled Harrisburg Mall, last Sunday, October 4, 2009. When I first got to the mall, I was quite simply amazed by the amount of people in line. It is estimated that there were over 2,000 fans there awaiting their chance to meet Peter and possibly have their photo taken with him. For a moment, I wondered why people would wait in a line that long for just a few moments with their favorite star. It didn’t take long for that question to be answered – I saw firsthand how Peter’s involvement with ALSF brings an entirely new element to the event – and a very important one at that. The event was not only about meeting Peter, but it was also about connecting people to each other, to the movies and books they love, to helping each other, and to being part of something bigger. Everyone who attended that event - whether they waited in line, or just took a few moments to see what was going on – was connected to something much bigger.

This is when I share with you that this one event, at one mall, with one amazing celebrity, raised over $11,000 for the battle against childhood cancer. The monetary number isn’t the only part of the story though; there was also a huge amount of awareness raised that day. I was asked to speak to the crowd, which was a great honor, Peter also told everyone how to get involved, we held a lemonade stand, and I could tell that at the end of the day, these fans would in fact get involved.

Here is only one example of that -

After the event, I received an email from a young woman who wants to get involved. In fact, she is one of the girls in the below photo. She summed up just how special this event was to Peter’s fans and to anyone who heard about it:

"If someone like Peter Facinelli can fly across the country during his incredibly busy schedule to help this organization, why can't I? Why can't we all? What is so important in our lives that we can't find time to do good?"

To be moved like that by meeting someone, certainly seems like it is worth a few hours of line waiting! A big thank you to everyone who came out, everyone who supports the foundation, and of course to Peter Facinelli for his unwavering support. We look forward to many more opportunities to work with Peter, and to meet his amazing fans! It is an honor to have them support us.

- Liz Scott, Alex's Mom

The Importance of September

2009-10-02T09:50:00.006-04:00

As we approach the fall, and we look back at our recent activities, including our children’s first day of school, it is hard not to think about how very different the lives of children with cancer and their families are. Whether it is nursery school, kindergarten or even senior year of high school, we send our children off to prepare for the future dreams that await them every September. But what if they didn’t have the chance to partake in such a normal activity? For over 12,000 families whose children are diagnosed with cancer every year in this country, this isn’t merely a question - it is a harsh reality.

Why is this more relevant now than ever? Because this is such an important time in our country for families fighting childhood cancer, as well as all families who may someday face an illness they hadn’t anticipated. September was National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and it also represented an important time in the future health care of the country. President Obama had originally set a September deadline for producing a bill on health care reform, which when it comes to fruition, will surely affect the way we fight childhood cancer.

If you have watched the news lately, you know that President Obama is busy spending his days talking about the future health care of the United States. As he makes speeches at different venues in different cities around the US, he often pulls at the heart strings of his audience by using examples of families whose children have been affected by an illness. These stories often end in the family facing bankruptcy, or battling with their insurance companies for the medicines and treatments that their children need. These are in his own words, “the voices of the millions upon millions of Americans who quietly struggle every day with a system that often works better for the health-insurance companies than it does for them.”

We could easily be one of these voices – our late daughter, Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004), founder of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, was diagnosed with a form of childhood cancer before her first birthday. As young parents, we would quickly begin to collect credit card debt, opting to provide our daughter with the medications and treatments that might save her life, whether the insurance company was willing to pay for them or not. We saw first hand the challenges of our health care system, but we also saw how when done right, hospitals, doctors, and insurance companies can work together to improve lives. We saw doctors provide the best quality of care for children without regard to cost; we received a personal phone call from a case manager at our insurance company to inform of us that they would in fact pay a large claim; even the pharmacist at the hospital worked with the insurance company to make sure we could obtain a new drug for Alex that was not covered under our plan.

Through our daughter’s seven year battle with cancer, we witnessed families struggling with high out of pocket costs, low wages and being denied potentially life saving treatments due to lack of insurance. We also saw the polar opposite when insurance companies or state-funded programs paid for life saving treatments for children without hesitation. The bottom line was and still remains, that while we might not have all the answers, the United States has all the components to improve upon an already outstanding health care system. No one should be denied health care because of their inability to pay for it, but fixing this problem requires all parties to come together – including doctors, health care professionals, hospitals, insurance companies, and most importantly, the people that the health care system is supposed to serve.

Thankfully, childhood cancer is becoming a survivable disease, though there is still so much work to be done to find better treatments and cures. Nearly 80% of children diagnosed with cancer will survive, but the medical costs that families endure throughout their battle and follow-up will continue to linger. Additionally, children often face lifelong complications and the development of chronic health problems due to their disease and subsequent treatment. The best quality of health care is imperative to children fighting this disease, and to all other children and families who face long term illnesses. It is time for this country to come to an agreement to protect ourselves and especially our children from suffering the long term financial effects of a serious illness.

As we move out of September, with the battle against childhood cancer fresh in our minds, let’s also recognize how important health care reform is. If we could stop the partisanship and finger pointing that only emphasizes our differences, and serves only to divide us, we would get to the core of this issue - that everyone deserves to have access to good medical care. The process will no doubt be a learning process, but one that is imperative to start now.

Liz and Jay Scott,
parents of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer founder Alexandra “Alex” Scott.

Communities Come Together for a Common Cause

2009-09-25T10:30:00.005-04:00

If you have been visiting our website lately, you know that it has been a busy end of summer/beginning of fall for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. This past weekend was no exception, as both myself and Alex’s dad were busy attending events in three different states. Though the events couldn’t have been more different – they all had a common theme – amazing things are possible when a community comes together.

Above: Riley, Lauren and Jeremey celebrate a successful day of raising awareness for childrens cancer.
Photo Credit: netequityloans.com

I saw evidence of this theme right off the bat when I attended the event of a young stand host on Saturday. The stand host, Riley Gillespie, may only be 12-years-old, but he has accomplished amazing things in his quest to help make life better for kids touched by cancer. Four of those kids are friends of Riley’s. Riley decided to get involved with ALSF after his very best friend was diagnosed with cancer in 2003. When that friend, Jeremey, reached his last chemotherapy treatment, Riley decided to hold a lemonade stand to celebrate. Since that time, three more of Riley’s friends have been touched by childhood cancer, and sadly two of them passed away earlier this year. If anything, this only made Riley’s dedication to the cause stronger, and he proved that this weekend. Riley hosted a lemonade stand, walk-a-thon and car show, organizing every last detail, and his hard work paid off when he was able raise more than $17,000 for the Foundation! What an amazing kid, and what an amazing community surrounding him and supporting him this weekend.

After being immensely inspired by a young child following in Alex’s footsteps, I was off to another special event, this one in my hometown of Windsor, Connecticut. As some of you may know, both Jay and I grew up in Windsor, and the town has acted as one of our largest support groups. The residents continue to hold events for the foundation and make sure everyone who passes through knows the story of Alex. For this particular event, more than 500 people came out to participate in a 3.5 mile race/walk known as the Tavern Trot. After the run itself, the community continued the celebration together, and when all was said and done had raised over $12,000!

Finally, though I wasn’t there, I heard a lot about a special event in upstate New York on Sunday. Actor Peter Facinelli, who is currently appearing in the Twilight movies, held an autograph signing with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Foundation. Along with his autographs, The Galleria at Crystal Run also allowed us to set up a lemonade stand to raise funds and quench the thirst of the fans in attendance. Speaking of the fans, hundreds, if not thousands showed up for the day. Scheduled to go from 12-5PM, there was still a line at 6PM when the mall was set to close. Luckily, the final fans were allowed to stay for their photos and Peter happily obliged. It was a wonderful day, which raised over $7,000 for ALSF.

Above: Actor Peter Facinelli (Back) with some ALSF staff and supporters.

In total, these three events raised over $30,000 for the Foundation in one weekend! While my husband and I, along with two of our sons, spent several hours in the car this weekend traveling to and attending events, it is nothing compared to what others have done to show their support. We hear a lot in the news these days about how the country is changing, but weekends like this one remind us that no matter what the economic state is, or what personal challenges people face, that the spirit of community remains. Whether that community is a group of Twilight fans coming together to meet one of the actors and in the process supporting a good cause; hundreds of people coming together in our hometown of Windsor to show their support; or a 12-year-old boy who brings an entire community together in honor of his four friends who just happen to be childhood cancer heroes, they all prove that the spirit of this country is very much alive.

We are so very thankful to have the privilege and honor of calling all of these communities supporters of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. They are proving that when we all come together, anything is possible. Alex knew that, and through events like these, we know it too.

Thank you!

- Liz Scott

A Lemonade Trip to Kansas City

2009-09-18T15:48:00.004-04:00

Lawrence, KS Hy-Vee Lemonade Stand from June 2009

With September and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month upon us, I am getting out to as many events and speaking engagements as possible to raise the profile of childhood cancer. These events often bring memories of Alex to the surface, allowing me to reflect on the time that has passed, and what I have learned about childhood cancer, and especially life over the passed 10 years. I wanted to share a recent experience with you, a trip to Kansas City, worth reflecting upon.

I went to Kansas City, which is the home to many of ALSF’s greatest supporters, to attend an event entitled Heroes and Halos. The event was held on National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day, Saturday, September 12, on the farm of Ken Waldock. Ken, who had come upon a lemonade stand held by one of our volunteers, decided to hold a day of celebration for families of children who have or had cancer. It was a day of fun, entertainment and amazing food that brought together over 300 people in the area who have been affected by the disease.

As always, I was honored to represent the foundation, but this event represented a special situation for me. As you know, I am Alex’s mom, and I have experienced what children with cancer go through firsthand. I have seen the sadness, worry and heartache that accompany us on the journey. It is a journey that is all too familiar to the attendees at the Heroes and Halos event. What this event reminded me of however, is something far removed from that anguish – it’s that for every tear there are many more smiles, for every worry there are many more carefree days, and for each moment that our hearts ache, there are even more moments when it soars. It is sometimes hard to imagine that anything positive can come out of something as awful as childhood cancer. I know that I didn’t believe it when thirteen years ago my daughter Alex spent her first birthday in the ICU instead of at home eating her first slice of birthday cake. In fact, I probably would have had some choice words for anyone who tried to tell me that anything good could come out of my baby’s suffering. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to learn this through my daughter, Alex showed me through the way she lived the next 7 years of her life and the legacy of hope she left behind.

The Heroes and Halos event too taught me that even in the seemingly worst of situations, there are reasons to smile. Like so many of the children present at the event, Alex taught me about helping others and overcoming challenges. She taught me about believing in dreams, even if they seem impossible. She lived life to the fullest each day and made the best of any situation. Living with childhood cancer taught me that life is what you make of it, and that for all the bad in life, it is far better to focus on the good.

The truth of the matter is, there are tens of thousands of children who are battling cancer or have battled cancer with the same determination, grace, and courage that Alex did. I had the immense pleasure of meeting many of them, and their families last weekend. Alex was the spark that started this lemonade movement to find a cure, but these children are the inspiration to continue in her memory. Thank you to everyone in Kansas City for allowing me to not only remember how important the battle against childhood cancer is, but how important it is to appreciate every day too.

- Liz Scott, Alex's Mother

National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

2009-09-10T14:42:00.008-04:00

Did you know that September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? If you didn’t, you’re not alone. While many people are aware of other important months in the calendar year, September flies largely under the radar. However, as the parent of a child who fought this deadly disease, I am not necessarily concerned about raising awareness during this month, but rather with raising awareness all year round.

As you may know, the case for finding a cure for childhood cancer is a compelling one, and one that is easy to sell when you are equipped with the facts. Here’s a good one - childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children under the age of 15 in the United States. It is the second overall killer only behind accidents. If that fact isn’t staggering enough, then how about this one, over 12,000 children in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone.

It is hard to think about children with cancer, I know this all too well. When you look into the bright and playful eyes of a youngster, you cannot fathom that a sinister invader could be inside their tiny bodies. But it happens, and it happens more often than any of us would like to face. It happened to me, my daughter Alexandra “Alex” Scott was diagnosed with childhood cancer prior to her very first birthday and went on to fight it for the rest of her life.

Since that time, I have seen hundreds, if not thousands of other children struggling through the same fight – the fight to save their lives. Like Alex, these children will face chemotherapy, surgeries, radiation treatments, and in the end, the cancer itself may be smarter than all these treatments put together. However, here is a statistic that sounds better – nearly 80% of children will survive their battle with childhood cancer. What this statistic doesn’t tell you is that long term, if not life long, side effects will follow.

If this doesn’t seem fair, that is because it isn’t. All cancer is horrible, and no one should have to face it, but there is absolutely no greater reason to help find a cure for childhood cancer than that these are children we are talking about. They are meant to live long lives, lives that they deserve. Sure there will be obstacles to overcome, as there is in any life, but cancer shouldn’t be one of them.

Let’s use September to raise the profile of childhood cancer awareness, but let’s also do this year-round. If you have the chance, volunteer at a Ronald McDonald House, or find another way to interact with children who have cancer. They will teach you a lot about life, their spirits and positive attitudes will change the way you look at the world. Let’s change their world too, by taking a stand against childhood cancer, and coming together to find a cure.

- Jay Scott, Alex's Father

7th Annual Softball Tournament

2009-08-31T16:22:00.005-04:00

2009 Tournament Champions, Team Berlin Police & Fire

On Sunday, August 23, 2009, we held our 7th Annual softball tournament benefiting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in memory of my mother, Theresa Gigliotti. My mom was the most giving and loving person I have ever known. She would take people in or give the shirt off her back to someone in need. She always put others before herself. On March 2, 2003 the world I knew was taken from me.

My mom passed away from lung cancer which had metastasized to her brain and liver. For a year and a half she lived life to the fullest despite her diagnosis. I tried to give her whatever she wanted. Unfortunately I couldn’t give her the healthy life she needed to be here today. We decided to host a softball benefit in her honor in 2003 shortly after she passed away. At the time, the only foundation I really knew for cancer was Susan G. Komen. Then one day I saw a little girl on Oprah named Alex Scott. I called my wife and told her I found the foundation in which we would be holding the tournament in honor of the very next year.

My mom loved kids and what better way to keep her spirit alive then by helping a cause which benefits the lives of children. This young girl touched my soul! She reminded me of my mom but at a different age. She had the short hair, fragile limbs and a heart of gold! So in August 2004 we held our 2nd softball benefit in Glenolden, Pennsylvania, with all proceeds going to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Sadly, right before our benefit, Alex passed away. Since that time, we have become friends with Liz and Jay Scott, as well as their three boys - we consider them part of our family. I tell them all the time, now I have two angels watching over me, one is my mom and one is Alex. We have seen the foundation grow so much over the years, it is amazing that this one little girl has touched so many lives. I know this to be the truth since she has touched our lives forever.

I honestly believe that people come into your life for a reason and Alex was definitely a blessing to ours. Ever since I saw Alex we have been holding annual softball benefits in memory of my mom along with other fundraisers with all the proceeds going to her foundation. Last year the softball benefit took place in South Ardmore Park and our team, Team Theresa, won the championship! This year we beat our goal by raising over $6,000 regardless of mother nature having to change our date. What a fun-filled day complete with clowns, a moon bounce, food, music, softball and of course, Alex’s Lemonade!

2009 Team Alex

We would like to thank everyone for supporting such a great cause which is near & dear to our hearts and hope everyone looks out for our 8th annual softball benefit in August 2010!.

- Albert & Natalie Gigliotti

An Intern's Experience...

2009-08-20T11:50:00.003-04:00

When I encounter people as wonderful as Liz and Jay Scott, as well as the rest of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation crew, I sometimes wonder if people are really as good as they seem. Can they really be so giving by donating so much of their time to helping other people? Yet as I have spent time at the foundation over the past three weeks as part of the Julien Krinsky Career Builders summer program, I have found that everyone is just as great, in fact, even better, than I ever could have known. Seeing as this was my first job, I didn’t know what to expect. Sure, I stuffed a few envelopes and typed up a few spreadsheets, but to some extent I expected that. What I did not expect, however, was how welcoming everyone was to me, a 17-year-old who was newly employed. Everyone here made me feel like I was part of the lemonade family and for that I am grateful. They let me into their world, even allowing me to meet the children and families who inspire their work, and I could not have asked for a better way to spend my summer!

Probably the greatest thing that I was able to do was attend a check presentation at Rita’s in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Beforehand, I was asked to read about all of the children who would be attending. These Heroes, childhood cancer fighters, would be in attendance along with their families. After my initial introduction to the children via the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation website, I was unsure if I was going to be able to handle this interaction. Not only were the descriptions of the children so beautifully written, but I myself am no stranger to cancer as it has greatly affected my family. So, to be perfectly honest, I was scared. Upon entrance to Rita’s though, I knew I would be okay, as the smiling faces of everyone present kept my spirits high. The Rita’s staff did a great job of entertaining the children and providing everyone with delicious treats, but it was the children that made the experience so special to me. It was then that I was able to fully understand the effect that the foundation has on the lives of so many, and I’m so thankful that I was able to be a part of it.

-Alexis, ALSF Summer Intern

A Pond Tour for the Cure

2009-08-13T11:59:00.004-04:00

Six companies in the Delaware Valley area, Aqua Scapes of the Delaware Valley, Aquatic Connections, Cedar Run Landscapes, James Ponds, Laurel Oak, & Splash of Nature sponsored their first Pond Tour to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). The Tour, entitled ‘Alex’s Lemonade Pond Tour…A Tour for the Cure’ was held on Saturday, August 1, 2009.

The purpose of a Pond Tour is to provide an opportunity for watergarden enthusiasts/hobbyists, as well as novices to the industry, to travel around and visit waterfeatures (be they a pond or pondless waterfall) and enjoy the beauty, tranquility and serenity of each unique feature. There were 24 features showcased on this tour. A modest fee was assessed to take the tour; 100% of which were donated to ALSF. Approximately 200 people participated in this inaugural event. One tour was held in Pennsylvania and the second in New Jersey. Between participants as well as individual & corporate sponsors, we are thrilled to say that we raised over $8,000 for Alex. A sincere “thank you” is extended to everyone who participated.

Toast The Host Party from Lentzcaping on Vimeo.

The feedback from tour-goers and tour hosts has been overwhelmingly positive. Many are looking forward to next year’s event, which promises to be bigger and better. During the tour, we also ran 8 Alex’s Lemonade Stands to assist in our fundraising efforts. Kids volunteered their time to operate these stands. We are grateful for their contributions, as they are a credit to their communities.

To show our appreciation to the homeowners who opened up their backyard and, in some instances, their front yard oasis, we conducted a “Toast the Host” party this past Saturday, August 8 at Lentzcaping’s headquarters in Warrington, PA. During this event, we were honored to present Liz & Jay Scott, Alex’s parents, with our ceremonial check representing the Pond Tour’s proceeds. We were equally honored and blessed to have as our special guest, Felicia Frugoli, a 4-year-old little girl who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 3. We were happy to learn that Felicia is currently in remission from this dreaded disease.

It is Felicia, and children like her, that our group has passionately dedicated ourselves to, in order to continue the growth of Alex’s legacy of community involvement and “giving-back.” When you have the opportunity to experience firsthand the success being realized globally due to foundations like ALSF, and to see the difference their efforts can make in a child’s life, it is easy to want to get involved. Our group is committed to our support of this cause, as we look to take our efforts to new heights in the future.

Our goal is to be the #1 volunteer fundraiser/supporter of ALSF. We even expect to challenge some of the larger corporate supporters. The true reality--anyone who aligns themselves with ALSF and its cause to rid the world of pediatric cancer is #1. We (Al Lentz, George Mihalchick, Alden Zove, Diane Baker, Guy Scott, Brent Ludlow and me, Jerry Lister) invite you all “to dare to make a difference.” Our kids are depending on us...lets deliver for them!!!

(Stay tuned for next year!!!)

- Jerry Lister