Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Jay Scott: Research Breakthrough... and ALSF helped make it possible!

2012-05-17T14:03:00.000-04:00

I’m on a plane as I write this heading down to Florida to visit the winning school from our Great Lemonade War contest (more on that in another blog), but can’t ignore the great news that was announced last night in the childhood cancer research world. If you haven’t already heard, early results from a clinical trial found that a drug that was being used to treat lung cancer in adults (crizotinib), was found to eradicate cancer in some kids with a rare type of lymphoma (anaplastic large cell lymphoma – ALCL). That’s right, eradicate – no trace of the cancer can be found in 7 out of 8 kids who had ALCL and were enrolled in the trial. Better yet, it was a simple pill that the kids took (versus getting stuck as is the case with IV therapy), with minimal toxicity in spite of high dosages, and within days of taking it – it helped reduce fevers, chills and pain that some of the kids were previously experiencing. Awesome.

The research team, led by Yaël Mossé, MD from the Children’s Hospital of Philly (CHOP), explains that crizotinib appears to be effective in patients that test positive for the cancer causing gene, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). Crizotinib specifically looks to disrupt this gene and voilà – if all goes as planned, the cancer disappears. It’s all part of the personalized therapy approach that so many researchers are exploring these days and for good reason. Finding treatments that are effective in patients whose cancer has certain characteristics helps to create customized treatment plans that not only work, but also prevents kids from being subjected to other therapies or procedures that they know won’t work.

Crizotinib also showed promise in kids with specific forms of neuroblastoma that harbor the ALK gene. Neuroblastoma was the type of cancer that Alex had and although the tests for ALK were not available when she was in treatment, you better believe we would have looked into it if it was.

One more neat piece of info – Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) had a role in this breakthrough! Although ALSF was not responsible for funding this particular clinical trial, we did provide previous support to the research team that allowed them to develop the trial. Dr. John Maris, one of the doctors who treated Alex at CHOP states it a bit more eloquently than me:

"Funding through ALSF was absolutely critical for the translation of our basic research findings to a clinical trial. It is a highly complex process (and often difficult to fund) to take a novel discovery and develop a safe and effective therapeutic strategy. ALSF funding allowed us to be extremely facile in getting the work done so that we could get a clinical trial open as soon as was humanly possible. While the actual trial was funded by the National Cancer Institute through the Children's Oncology Group, ALSF funding to CHOP to support core research infrastructure also enhanced our ability to bring children to our center from far and away for enrollment on the trial, and to receive the medication in a safe and very efficient manner."
- John Maris, MD, Chief, Division of Oncology, and Director, Center for Childhood Cancer Research at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

So what happens now? Well, doctors are working hard to get crizotinib moved up to a front line treatment for kids with ALCL who present with the ALK gene, and the researchers are planning a larger scale trial for these patients as well as trials to further investigate the drug’s efficacy in kids with neuroblastoma.

It’s news like this that energizes me and the work that we do every day at ALSF – I’m sure the amazing researchers who work tirelessly to make this their life’s work feel similarly. Progress is being made, we are making a difference (thanks to your support) and kids’ lives are being saved. Awesome.

-Jay Scott (Alex’s Dad)

Guest blog: Swoop from the Philadelphia Eagles

2012-05-04T15:47:00.000-04:00

You didn’t know an eagle could blog, did you? It may not be football season at the moment, but it doesn’t mean I’ve flown the coop! I’m gearing up for a great summer pre-season where I’ll do my best to add some fun to all of the hard work of the players (rookies and veterans alike), not to mention do some training of my own to work on my wingspan for the upcoming season.

That being said, one of the best parts about my job is interacting with the fans – primarily the kids that come out to games. I think any of my colleagues would agree that the kids are so much fun and bring such a great energy to any game.

That’s why one of my favorite events in the off-season is the Camp In for Kids’ Cancer that we host to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. That’s right – kids and their families actually get to sleepover at Lincoln Financial Field and hang out on the field! For those of you who have ever been on a tour of an NFL Stadium, you know this is a big deal. Usually, access on the field is strictly limited to the players (and me of course!), but at the Camp In you can have a catch on the field, attempt to punt the ball through the uprights or just pretend it’s a Sunday afternoon in December and your name is being chanted in the stands! I’ll be there as well as Eagles cheerleaders and even current players from the Philadelphia Eagles!

You’ll also get a behind the scenes tour of the stadium and get to hang out in the Eagles’ locker room. Don’t worry – we’ll air it out before you get there. Then we’ll set up your special tents (I’ll help), eat dinner, watch movies, play games and so much more.

The coolest thing about the Camp In is that all of the money raised from the event goes to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the fight against childhood cancer. We need to make sure doctors keep finding better treatments for kids with cancer so that they get to experience things like going to an NFL game or even just having a catch with their mom or dad in their own backyard.

If you choose to fundraise for the event, you can get extra stuff including shirts, sweatshirts and memorabilia or even the chance to play video games on the Jumbotron with an Eagles player, an autograph session with Eagles players and the opportunity to set up your tent and sleep on actual the field.

Please, join me on May 19-20! There are still some tents available so sign up today before they’re gone. Also, there are a limited number of dinner tickets that were just released if you can’t spend the night with us. You still get to play on the field, meet players and of course – eat! It’s also an awesome idea for a Father’s Day, graduation or anytime gift if you’re looking to make some memories with your family as well as help kids with cancer.

Guest blog: Childhood Cancer Hero Hope Bertelsen

2012-04-26T10:26:00.000-04:00

I stepped off the train that day without knowing at all what to expect. I didn't know who was going to meet me or what I was going to do once I got to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) offices; I didn't even know what the Wynnewood train station was going to look like! I won't lie - I was feeling a bit nervous. But more than that, I was feeling excited. I was really looking forward to this.

Back in January, I had attended the Lemon Ball and bid on one of the auction prizes: a two-week internship with the Foundation. My experience with ALSF dates back years ago, to when I was first diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma in 2003 at the age of 12. My treatments took me to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the same hospital that Alex Scott went to, to get treatment for the same disease. I heard all about her then, and knew immediately that I wanted to help too. Since then, I've become a Hero Ambassador, speaking at events to share my story and hers. In doing so, I've gotten to meet some of the people who work at the Foundation, and I've always been amazed and inspired by what they do every day to help others just like me. I wanted a chance to see more of that, and this auction prize gave me exactly that. Somehow, I won that auction, and immediately began making arrangements for it to happen. I live in New Jersey, an hour away from the ALSF office, so I made plans to stay with a friend at UPenn for the 2 weeks I'd be interning. I figured out train schedules to take me to Wynnewood from University City. I communicated with people at ALSF to finalize plans. I set the date. In March, I would be standing on a platform at the Wynnewood train station!

So there I was, Monday morning, extremely excited and not knowing at all what to expect. The very first person I met was Cindy, who had come to pick me up from the train station; the very first thing I noticed about her was that she was wearing a pair of green leopard print clogs...and immediately I felt completely comfortable. This was going to be a fantastic two weeks.

That day, I learned how the next two weeks would go. I would arrive in the morning, learn who I was working with for that day, and then spend the day helping that person out with whatever they might need. This way, I got to meet everyone in the office, and I got to learn how every piece of the Foundation was run - from the fundraisers to the computer systems to the grants processes, every piece was important and essential for making ALSF so special.

For the next two weeks, I input data, came up with ideas for fundraisers, helped with a new website that would act as a resource for families of childhood cancer patients, created videos for social media, made phone calls thanking donors for their support, made graphics and spoke at a meeting for a large upcoming event. I learned a lot about how an organization is run; but more than that, I learned why Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is as extraordinary as it is, and it has everything to do with the people who work there. They all truly believe in what they are doing, and are still affected by every story they hear. No matter how long they have been there, or how many kids with cancer they have met, they still treat everyone as an individual, and seek to help with all those individual problems that make everyone unique. My own story, for instance, is quite a bit different than the ones they normally deal with.

I was diagnosed at an age that was actually considered old for the kind of cancer I have, and I have been fighting it for over 9 years now. I have had to learn how to deal with the side effects of it, and of my medications, while going through high school, college and beyond. There aren't too many others like me, but Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation still wants to help me. They have listened to my individual needs, they have heard my voice and worked to help me and others like me by bringing in more resources for teenagers with cancer. When I go to their events, they call me afterwards and ask me what they can do next time. They truly care. And every day, when I walked into those offices for my internship, I was greeted with smiles and a bright, "Good morning!" I always felt comfortable, and I always felt valued. You don't get many experiences like that. For that, I will always be grateful, and I will always be here, willing to help.

- Hope Bertelsen

Jay Scott: Zebrafish, MicroRNA and ALSF...oh my!

2012-04-13T11:32:00.007-04:00

You hear us saying all the time how the funds you help us raise are supporting innovative research projects searching for a cure – and they truly are! Just in the last week we received notice that two projects that we funded have been published in prestigious medical journals demonstrating their significance not just to us – but to the medical community as a whole. Right up there with the clinical findings is the feedback we receive from the grantees about the impact that your support makes possible. Check it out…

“Without ALSF's support we would not even be close to this discovery. Now because of your funds we are publishing the findings in Blood. The technician I was able to hire is absolutely fabulous and continues to make very nice progress on target identification.” - Nikolaus Trede, MD, PhD

Nikolaus Trede, MD, PhD, a researcher at the Huntsman Cancer Institute was awarded ALSF funding looking at a new treatment for T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (T-ALL), a particularly hard to treat type of childhood cancer. Dr. Trede proposed to test the treatment in zebrafish. Why zebrafish? Well, little known fact to us non-scientists, but apparently zebrafish’s genomes and immune systems are similar in many ways to those of humans and they can easily mimic human cancers. The targeted treatment that the research team tested, Lenaldekar (LDK), was successful in treating the zebrafish with T-ALL and even showed promise in slowing the disease in mice. This is even more exciting because since LDK targets the cancer cells (not the healthy cells as with existing chemotherapy treatments) the treatment is significantly less toxic. You can read more about Dr. Trede’s study that was published in last week’s issue of Blood (which is also posted on our website).

“This work would not be possible without the support of ALSF! I am so grateful to you guys!” – Rami I. Aqeilan, PhD

Rami I. Aqeilan, PhD of The Ohio State University also received funding from ALSF for a project that was looking at osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer and a leading cause of cancer death in adolescents. Dr. Aqeilan and his team identified (for the first time) a MicroRNA signature reflecting the development of the disease. What does this mean? Well, the researchers found that the level of expression of specific MicroRNAs directly correlated to whether a tumor developed into metastatic disease or was more likely to be responsive to therapy. I like to think of it as uncovering a recipe of sorts. You need certain amounts of specific ingredients to end up with a cookie. Too much of one thing and too little of another and it won’t all come together. Of course, in this case – that cookie is an osteosarcoma tumor, but you get my gist. By identifying this MicroRNA “recipe”, the researchers can better predict who might benefit most from specific treatments. In addition, their findings may help lead to more targeted treatments so desperately needed for kids battling the disease. You can read more about this study in the April 2012 issue of Cancer Research (also posted on our website).

So, yes – your support and efforts on behalf of ALSF are making a significant and meaningful difference in the lives of children with cancer. Thank you, as always, for helping to make sure zebrafish and MicroRNA are a part of our vocabulary!

-Jay Scott, Alex’s Dad

Liz Scott: My three sons

2012-03-30T09:28:00.010-04:00

The Scott kids. (L to R) Alex, Eddie, Joey, Patrick.

Spring has definitely sprung in our neck of the woods, or maybe even summer given recent temperatures hovering around 80 degrees, but we’re ready for it. It’s the most wonderful time of the year (feel free to sing this to the tune of Andy Williams’ Christmas tune or that clever Staples back-to-school commercial) here at ALSF as we gear up for an amazing summer lemonade season!

This summer will also bring a new twist to the Scott household as we prepare to send our oldest son Patrick off to college in the fall. Despite Patrick’s maturity, Jay and I are blown away that we’ll actually have a kid in college come late August – it doesn’t seem possible. Patrick, as with all of our sons, has been proud to see how his sister’s legacy continues to thrive, but he has an extra special relationship with the Foundation since he was the one who helped Alex set up her first stand. He often speaks in public about the Foundation, most recently at our Lemon Ball this year where he presented the Stand Host of the Year award to Riley Miller (a fellow 17-year-old) and her family from Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Our son Eddie is also getting ready to graduate from middle school this year and will be entering high school in the fall, which again, is hard to believe. Many of you may not know this but Eddie is, literally, a walking advertisement for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. He wears a different ALSF t-shirt/sweatshirt every day to school with the goal to never wear the same one twice. It’s pretty awesome as it gets all of his classmates involved and aware of what we do as they keep track of his daily wardrobe choice. He has been wearing an Alex’s Lemonade Stand shirt every day for nearly 3 years now! Eddie is also a big fan of The Great Chefs Event. He really enjoys the fantastic food prepared and given his endless appetite –those of you with 13-year-old boys can relate – he makes sure to get a taste (or two) of each signature dish.

Our youngest Joey is also a superstar supporter of his big sister’s vision. Joey was just a baby when Alex died, yet has such a connection with all that we do since he’s never known life without the Foundation. He takes great pride in how his school supports ALSF every year by hosting Alex’s “Original” Lemonade Stand and he is always the first one to spot anything that says Alex’s Lemonade Stand anywhere we go! Joey also loves to hear stories of how nurturing his big sister was and how she loved taking care of him, like how she spent 3 months knitting a white kitten to give him on his first birthday, and how they often rode around together in our wagon.

So, I guess what I’m saying is that I feel extremely privileged to have such wonderful sons. We usually reserve the term “hero” at ALSF for our brave kids fighting cancer, but I know that Patrick, Eddie and Joey were Alex’s heroes (as she was theirs). I am so proud to be their mom.

Please know that your support has a meaningful impact on brothers, sisters and all members of families affected by childhood cancer. Thank you, as always, for your continued support and dedication to ALSF. And get ready…National Lemonade Days is just around the corner!

-Liz Scott (Alex’s, Patrick’s, Eddie’s and Joey’s Mom)

Guest blog: What it Means to "Be Here Now"

2012-03-16T11:33:00.004-04:00

During the second half of last year, we were fortunate to have Steve Pessagno from GlaxoSmithKline take up shop in the ALSF office as part of a program at GSK called PULSE - where employees volunteer at a nonprofit for a three or six month immersion experience. And immerse himself he did! In addition to an enormous amount of work he conducted for the Foundation, Steve also joined Team Lemon, attended the Lemon Ball and did just about anything else he could do to support our cause. Below is a blog where Steve, in his own eloquent words, talks about his experience with ALSF.
- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

I recently returned to GSK after spending six months on a PULSE assignment working with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), one of the larger childhood cancer philanthropies in the US. Although my PULSE assignment has officially ended, by no means is my PULSE experience over. Which is such a good thing, because the experience exceeded my expectations on many levels.

Liz and Jay Scott established ALSF eight years ago to carry out the vision of their only daughter, Alexandra, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before her first birthday. When she was four, Alex told her parents she wanted to set up a lemonade stand in order to donate money to doctors to help them find a cure for cancer. She raised $2,000 in one day. While bravely fighting her cancer, Alex continued to set up lemonade stands every year--and the nation took notice, with thousands of children, teenagers, and adults following suit. In 2004, Alex died at the age of eight, but her inspiration to help fight cancer "one cup at a time" have resulted in over $50 million to fund more than 200 cutting-edge research projects, create a travel program to support families of children receiving treatment, and develop resources to help people everywhere affected by childhood cancer.

A couple of years ago, ALSF brought together many childhood cancer charities to determine how they could better work together, perhaps share/leverage resources in certain areas, and form an umbrella organization that could help achieve specific common objectives. People across the organizations started talking, summits were held, committees were formed, and work was started. However, the effort was never officially chartered; its leadership was unclear; participants began to realize just how difficult and resource-intensive collaboration can be; and by the second year, the effort had stalled.

My assignment involved assessing the collaboration's work to date, diagnosing barriers to coordinated action and collaboration across the community; analyzing industry collaboration models; and designing a sustainable collaboration solution and developing the associated business plan for the community to implement.It also included running my first half-marathon as part of Team Lemon, a group that raises money for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. That's me (above) after the race.

Going into my PULSE assignment, I knew I'd learn a lot about pediatric cancer and figured I would learn a couple of things about myself and GSK. But would it be enough? I believe this is a common source of mild angst among PULSE volunteers; i.e., to be expected to drive up to GSK on your first day back with a car full of lessons, all packaged and ready to be unloaded in order to begin making an immediate impact on the company and its culture. The fact is, most of the knowledge you gain through an experience like PULSE are deeply personal, and they are realized gradually. Some of these lessons are new; some are validations of existing notions. There definitely are things we can understand better about GSK--and see more clearly--once we are put in a different setting.

My commitments as I integrate back into GSK are to:

Communicate more personally and efficiently--don't "feed the beast"
Speak up more to clarify accountability and responsibility
Work more, meet better and less
Appreciate more, help out more

Our organization is composed of exceptionally motivated and talented individuals, and our leadership by and large does a terrific job in celebrating team successes, recognizing individual accomplishments, and rewarding strong performance. This is something that may have been more in the back of mind than what it should have been prior to PULSE. But now, I want to ensure that I inquire more and judge less, collaborate more and compete less internally, and take time to give feedback when someone does something really well, not just when someone can do something better.

A question I'm frequently asked about PULSE is whether the experience helped me "put things in perspective" and if I now have a renewed appreciation for things I may have been taking for granted. Certainly--I realized this about halfway through the assignment, when I was invited to speak about PULSE at a GSK-sponsored charity golf outing and silent auction to benefit ALSF. After the event, Liz Scott spoke about Alex's legacy, how we can all make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer, and how much she (and the Foundation) appreciate the efforts, time, and, of course, money that everyone in attendance was contributing that day. Then a family who had received assistance from the Foundation spoke. I'll never forget their son Danny, a cancer survivor who is now legally blind due to the side effects of his chemotherapy regimen. As I listened to Danny and watched him read from his paper with oversized script, I was struck by how big his smile was as he read...how happy he is.

He and his family have experienced a frightening type of adversity that I can only hope my family and I never have to experience. But you would never know it by looking at him, listening to him, talking to him. That's in the past. It's done. Look forward. There's much to get done and experience.

That evening, I experienced what it truly means to "be here now"--thanks to the pure gratefulness and happiness that Danny personified and beamed out to us. That evening, I made a commitment to myself always to carry forward with an active (not latent) sense of gratitude--for all the wonderful people in my life, all the things I've been given, all the things I've earned--and a strong conviction for all the good we can do by making the most of every moment. - Steve Pessagno

"Stupid Cancer"

2012-03-12T08:33:00.007-04:00

We wanted to dedicate this blog to all of our courageous childhood cancer heroes, especially the families of Declan Roberts and Genessa Mikolajski, who recently passed away. We send our heartfelt condolences to the families of Declan and Genessa as their children's courage inspires and motivates us to continue our mission of finding a cure for all types of childhood cancer.

Declan Roberts passed away on February 27 at the age of 4 almost a year after being diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma. Despite enduring a year of aggressive treatment, he remained spirited, fearless and always positive. Declan pretty much summed up how so many of us feel about cancer in his own words, “There are three things I can call stupid: Stupid cancer! Stupid medicine (YUCK)! Stupid shots!"

Sadly, we also recently lost another brave hero, Genessa Mikolajski, who was 13-years-old and battled bone cancer for three years. Through multiple treatments and surgeries, she continued to look at life with courage and happiness. We were privileged to meet Genessa during the taping of an episode that recently aired on TLC’s “19 and Counting” in which The Duggar Family held Alex’s Lemonade Stands outside their local mall in Arkansas, where Genessa lived. Genessa was making plans to have a lemonade stand of her own this summer, which her family still plans to hold in memory of Genessa and all kids battling the disease.

Our heroes like Declan and Genessa remind us of how important our work is and why it’s imperative to raise funds as well as awareness for childhood cancer research. Learn how you can get involved today to make an impact and help us reach our lifesaving goal.

Guest blog: Author Jacqueline Davies and the Great Lemonade War Contest

2012-03-01T15:06:00.008-05:00

We often use the word “battle” in the context of our fight against childhood cancer, but we’ve waged a different kind of conflict in a new contest for schools – The Great Lemonade War. We’ve recruited award winning children’s book author Jacqueline Davies, who has authored a series of “lemonade” books – The Lemonade War, The Lemonade Crime and The Bell Bandit – to help us with this contest that challenges schools to compete against each other to see who can raise the most money through a lemonade stand project. The school that raises the most money for ALSF by the end of the contest will receive a visit from Jacqueline, as well as Liz or myself, in addition to other cool prizes. Please encourage any teachers, students or parents to check the contest out as it embodies two very important concepts – the value of reading and charitable giving. Jackie was kind enough to write a guest blog for us this week, which is below. It pretty much sums up what we’re all about here at ALSF, the impact of kids helping kids.
– Jay Scott, Alex’s Dad

I recently read an article in the Washington Post that listed the charitable giving in 2010 of each of the presidential candidates. The range was wide from a low of 1.8% of adjusted gross income to a high of 14.2%. The article noted that the numbers show “some very disparate charitable giving habits.” Which got me thinking about how we as Americans think about charitable giving and what we do about it.

Obviously we care about the charitable giving of a potential president. We consider it a reflection of the candidate’s character. It’s one more way to assess who this person is, deep down, to the very core. We look more favorably on those who give. So charitable giving is good. But it isn’t automatic.

There are conditions for giving and sharing, and one of the most important conditions, as discovered in a recent psychological study conducted at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, is shared work. The study revealed that when three-year-old children work together, but the “profits” of the work are distributed unevenly, the “wealthier” kids will spontaneously give to the less fortunate kids. Mind you, this spontaneous giving happened among three-year-olds, not a group that typically takes to “sharing” of any kind.

So, shared work triggers charitable giving. And charitable giving is both good and habit forming. It would follow that one way to promote charitable giving in our society is to introduce the “habit” to children through shared work.

Which is exactly what the Great Lemonade War contest achieves. Children in schools all across the country are working together to raise money that they will then donate to fund research into treatment and new cures for childhood cancer. Not only is money raised for an important cause, but children develop the habit of charitable giving, which bodes well for our society in years to come.

Maybe thirty or forty years from now we’ll be voting for a presidential candidate who will recall his or her participation in the Great Lemonade War. – Jacqueline Davies

(Want to hear more from Jacqueline? Click here to watch a special video message from her.)

Your Support at Work! ALSF Research Develops New Model to Help Treat Medulloblastoma

2012-02-24T09:29:00.023-05:00

Check it out…the latest example that your support and our efforts to fund childhood cancer research is making a difference!

Through a study partially funded by ALSF, researchers in California have developed a new model that will help scientists test and develop more effective therapies for medulloblastoma – a particularly aggressive form of a childhood brain tumor. Kids with medulloblastoma have a high survival rate, but the treatment itself can leave them with a significant risk of other disorders and mental impairments.

ALSF Innovation Award grantee Robert Wechsler-Reya, PhD of the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in La Jolla, California, and an international team of researchers have worked to pinpoint specific proteins found in some forms of medulloblastoma that appear to respond to a drug designed to reduce the activity of these proteins.

Maybe you’ve heard of the term/buzzword personalized medicine? This work is an important step toward utilizing this concept in kids with cancer. Instead of treating all kids who have medulloblastoma with the same drug, a doctor might one day be able to test the child’s tumor, find out which genes or proteins are out of whack, and specifically treat the tumor with drugs that will be most effective. Just as important - it could help in developing drugs that effectively treat the cancer and have fewer side effects, so the kids can go on to lead a more normal life after treatment.

So, I did my best to give a basic overview of the research, but there’s so much more to the amazing work these researchers are doing. You can read additional details about this study that we were honored to help fund in an article recently published in the journal Cancer Cell.

Just one more quick note – the article was dedicated to a little boy named Cameron Jackson who died earlier this year after a long battle with medulloblastoma. In this same spirit, I would like to recognize one of our own childhood cancer heroes Halle Middleton, who bravely fought medulloblastoma and is currently in remission! For a recent school project, Halle had to do a report on a famous Pennsylvanian and act it out. We were honored that she chose my daughter, Alex, and she nailed it! Please take a few minutes and watch Halle’s report – it is truly inspirational and speaks volumes to the importance of raising funds for research like Dr. Wechsler-Reya’s working to find cures so that kids like Halle don't miss out on school projects.

-Jay Scott, Alex's Dad

Forget wining and dining…do something meaningful on Valentine’s Day

2012-02-14T09:23:00.007-05:00

Whether you look forward to the annual holiday on February 14^th or dread the thought of it each year, we ask you to forgo feelings of despair or gifts of flowers and candy to truly embrace the spirit of love by supporting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. We’re not talking about the romantic, materialistic love that retailers want to sell you on, but instead the love seen in the face of Alex and all of our childhood cancer heroes. So put aside the cupids, conversation hearts and carnations and consider truly giving the sweetest gift you can give – hope to kids battling cancer.

Below are a few ideas to open up your heart this year:

Show your love to kids like Ryder, by signing up to hold a lemonade stand during National Lemonade Days! We encourage people to hold lemonade stands at anytime of the year, but National Lemonade Days (June 8-10, 2012) is what Alex envisioned when she originally held her stand in her front yard – a dedicated weekend where the country would come together and show their love for all kids fighting cancer. It’s easy, sign up today. In addition, consider spreading the love by becoming a Nat'l Lemonade Days Stand Ambassado r!

Instead of spending $100 on flowers destined to wilt or dinner at a crowded restaurant, show how big your heart is by making a donation in your sweetheart’s name to ALSF. Procrastinators – we’ve got you covered… donate online right now!

Get your heart pumping and sign up for Team Lemon! Pick a race and sign up as a couple, family or by yourself to raise money and awareness for ALSF. Plan to visit the “City of Brotherly Love” and sign up for the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia being held on May 6. This race sells out fast – shoot us an email at TeamLemon@AlexsLemonade.org to reserve your spot with Team Lemon.

They’ll be no shortage of love if you win a brand new, red Volvo XC60. Donate to our cause by purchasing raffle tickets to win a new Volvo XC60 (you can choose the color) being auctioned off at Alex’s “Original” Lemonade Stand on June 9.

Warm everyone’s hearts (and heads, legs, arms…) with something from ALSF’s gift shop. Our new hoodies are a great way to show your support for Alex’s mission to find a cure for all childhood cancers while staying cozy in the winter months.

Guest Blog: Hero Cameron Mathes on Kids Helping Kids

2012-02-03T09:45:00.018-05:00

Schools have become an integral group of supporters for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation with perhaps one of the greatest examples being The Potter Cup. Each year for the past nine years, two middle schools in the Philadelphia suburbs – Haverford Middle School and Paxon Hollow Middle School, hold a great event consisting of several athletic competitions, games, pep rallies, food, lemonade (of course) and a lot of noise! All of this spirited competition results in an amazing fundraising event benefiting ALSF and embodies one of the pillars of our mission – kids helping kids. The 2012 Potter Cup was held last Friday, January 27 with Paxon Hollow Middle School taking home the cup and raising more than $38,000 for the Foundation.

We found out that one student at Paxon Hollow, Cameron Mathes, actually received treatment at the same time as Alex Scott and bravely spoke to his classmates at his school’s pep rally before the games began about why raising funds for childhood cancer research is so important. We are honored to feature Cameron as our guest blogger this week adding to our group of amazing childhood cancer heroes!

My school, Paxon Hollow Middle School, participates in the Potter Cup each year with Haverford Middle School to raise money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand. I had acute lymphoblastic leukemia when I was younger, and I wanted to share my experience with my classmates. On the morning of The Potter Cup, I spoke to the students at the school in order to help them understand what it was like to have cancer. The Potter Cup raised more than $38,000 this year, and I am proud to have been involved in raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer. Here is my story that I told to my classmates:

My name is Cameron Mathes, and I am a seventh grader at Paxon Hollow. When I was 3 years old, I was diagnosed with leukemia, which is a type of cancer. I want to talk to you today to tell you what it was like to have cancer.

I don’t remember a lot from when I was sick, but I do remember that I couldn’t go to school, I had to get a lot of needles, and I lost all of my hair. I spent many days and nights at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), but they tried to make it a happy place for sick kids. I liked watching the ball machine in the lobby, I watched the Amtrak trains go by on the tracks, I enjoyed playing in the game room, the food was good, and I ate a lot of McDonald’s.

My parents have told me that when I was sick, it was a scary time for them. I had to have numerous medical procedures, I had pneumonia, my liver reacted badly to one of the medicines, and I had mouth sores so bad that I couldn’t eat. I stopped receiving chemotherapy treatments when I was almost 6 years old. After five years, the effects of the medicine I received had all worn off, and now I only have to go for check-ups once a year.

I didn’t know it at the time, but Alex, the girl who started Alex’s Lemonade Stand, was a patient at CHOP when I was. We received medicine next to each other in the day hospital, and we spent several nights in the hospital at the same time. I am proud to be a cancer survivor. I am happy to be alive, but am sad for the kids, like Alex, who didn’t survive.

I think it’s great that Paxon Hollow and Haverford Middle Schools raise so much money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand each year. There are many cancer patients who will be happy to know that so many kids are raising money so that a cure for cancer can be found.

- Cameron Mathes

For a variety of ways to get your school involved, check out the schools section on our website!

Liz Scott: Our 6th Lemon Ball & My Alex's 16th Birthday

2012-01-20T08:55:00.026-05:00

Jay wrote the last blog, so this week it’s my turn. We started off 2012 with a bang having held our annual Lemon Ball this past Saturday, January 14. Once again, our amazing supporters did not disappoint and helped us to raise more than $700,000 for childhood cancer research – pretty incredible for one night!

The live auction was something else! Our guest auctioneer, CK Swett, put on a show of his own that helped to raise more than $56,000 from just six items. Among the items were tickets to the Duke vs. UNC basketball game including transportation by private jet with our gala co-chairs, Melanie and Billy King, and a package from Shane Victorino of our hometown Phillies that not only included tickets to a game and autographed items, but a chance to meet Shane on the field and a phone call from the “Flyin’ Hawaiian” himself.

My plate of signature “Liz’s Lemon Cookies” were also a hit, although I can’t take all the credit as we received a great surprise video message from Buddy Valastro, aka -The Cake Boss, who added a selection of his own cookies, a one-of-a-kind lemonade stand cake (check out a picture of the cake to the left) and a tour and line cut to Carlo’s Bakery. Finally, there was a bidding war over an 11-month lease to Alex’s heart painting with it finally going for $18,000, topping previous years’ winning bids. It’s priceless to me, but seeing firsthand how others value a piece of Alex was heartwarming to say the least.

Though the live auction was rather exciting, there were so many poignant and emotional moments throughout the evening that will resonate with me for quite some time. During the award presentations to our incredible honorees (Crystal Cup Awardee -Harry Rose of The Rose Group, Volunteers of the Year - Natalie and Albert Gigliotti, Stand Hosts of the Year – Riley Miller and Family), Riley Miller – a 17-year-old from Bowling Green, Kentucky who has been a staunch supporter of the Foundation raising funds in honor of two baby brothers that her family lost to cancer – received a standing ovation from the crowd. What made the moment even more special was that my oldest son, Patrick, presented Riley with the award since he shared her perspective as someone who lost a sibling to cancer.

Also receiving a well deserved standing ovation was our childhood cancer hero speaker of the evening, 19-year-old Danny Hammond. Danny has been battling “the beast” as he calls it for more than 10 years – we actually met him in the hospital when Alex was receiving treatment at the same time. Danny speaks from the heart and somehow manages to be incredibly moving and hilarious at the same time. Clearly, his words didn’t just make an impression on me as at the end of the live auction, we asked our guests to help fund a research grant in Danny’s name and in no time, nearly $60,000 was raised to honor this courageous young man. Talk about teenagers that are wise beyond their years.

Speaking of teenagers – Wednesday, January 18, was Alex’s birthday in which she would have turned 16-years-old. I miss Alex everyday, but especially as we come across milestones such as the “Sweet 16” – or maybe not so sweet as I hear from some of my friends with teenage daughters. In any case, it makes me think so much about what Alex would be like as a 16-year-old. I’m sure we would have our normal ups and downs like any family (bickering over boys, bathroom time and the car - yikes) but I can’t help but wonder about the amazing things she would have accomplished considering the incredible feats she reached at such a young age.

Although I will never know so many things, I am extremely grateful for her life and being reminded of her beautiful spirit everyday as we continue to help children with cancer through the Foundation. We’ve raised more than $50 million for childhood cancer research with the help of others who were inspired by Alex, and each year that we celebrate her birthday, we come closer to realizing my daughter’s dream of a day when kids won’t get cancer.

A special thank you to our sponsors of The 2012 Lemon Ball as well as all of our supporters who remain dedicated to our cause!

-Liz Scott, Alex's Mom

Jay’s New Year’s Resolutions

2012-01-05T15:40:00.003-05:00

It’s always fun at this time of year to hear and read about everyone’s New Year’s resolutions. Whether they be focused on healthier living (anyone else see an increase in people at your gym this week?), wiser spending or more whimsical in nature, they have the ability to inspire us to try and do better and be better.

In addition to some loftier resolutions I have for 2012, making more efficient use of my time and meeting the ambitious goals we set forth here at ALSF in terms of raising funds and distributing them (more on that later)…I’m also attempting to watch the top 100 movies (according to IMDb) and listen to the top 100 albums of all time (per Rolling Stone). Let me tell you, it’s not as easy as you think. I consider myself up on this kind of stuff, but I have a busy year ahead of me in the world of movies and music. Join me! We can do a wrap-up blog at the end of the year to give our two cents on the lists.

So, back to our resolutions and goals at ALSF – feel free to start using this acronym by the way if you don’t already. We’ve set some pretty high fundraising aspirations for this year to help us on our quest of finding a cure for childhood cancer. In 2011, we broke prior records and raised more than $10.5 million – an amazing figure, especially when you consider our roots and that we’re still in the infancy stage of the Foundation. Our goal this year is to surpass 2011 and although it’s a bit ambitious, we know we can do it with the help of all of you out there. We recognize that the current economic climate is not the most conducive to giving and the fact that you continue to support my daughter’s vision despite these trying times, is more than a dad could hope for.

In this spirit, I wanted to remind you of a few simple ways to give to ALSF in 2012…

MissionFish on eBay – Buying or selling things on eBay? MissionFish is the charitable partner of eBay and allows sellers to donate a portion of the sales from their listed items to a charity. We’ve received a steady and surprising stream of generous donations through MissionFish – check out the ALSF page to view or add items to the list that if purchased, benefit the fight against childhood cancer.
Don’t throw away those used ink cartridges! Collect these gems (along with cell phones, laptops, etc…) at home or your office and send them to Funding Factory for recycling. They’ll provide you with a pre-paid shipping label and either send you cash that you can donate, or deposit points directly into our account that we can redeem for items to support the Foundation. From printing pixels to providing hope!
Donate your car. This will be in place shortly, but we often receive requests from people looking to donate their car to benefit ALSF. Stay tuned for how you can go about doing this, but in the meantime, hang on to that clunker for a bit longer!
Text a donation. Take a break from tweeting, status updating, IM’ing (I’m showing my age) and text the word LEMONADE to 85944. There – you just contributed $10 to Alex’s dream of a world where kids don’t get cancer, it doesn’t get much easier.

For more ideas, check out our website and happy 2012!

-Jay Scott, Alex’s Dad

Major Advances in Childhood Cancer Research in 2011

2011-12-30T14:32:00.005-05:00

As 2011 comes to an end, we celebrate not only our brave childhood cancer heroes, but also the dedicated researchers and scientists who continue to work toward better treatments and realizing Alex’s vision of eradicating childhood cancer. These men and women are of all ages and levels in their careers and face significant challenges in the field, most notably that childhood cancer research is vastly and consistently underfunded.

Despite this, we at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation remain optimistic that a cure will be found and steadfast in our efforts to support this research with the funds that we raise. Although there is a great deal of work to be done, we’re getting there. Case in point, in 2011, results from two research studies have led to major advances in the way two forms of childhood cancer are treated.

Results from a study out of St. Anna Children’s Hospital and Research Institute in Austria showed that a new high-dose combination of chemotherapy drugs significantly improved survival for children with high risk neuroblastoma, establishing a new standard of care. Neuroblastoma, the type of cancer that Alex had, accounts for approximately 15 percent of childhood cancer deaths and about 40 percent of cases are considered high risk, meaning they will probably recur despite therapy. The chemo combo showed such strong results that the randomization in the trial was stopped and all of the children enrolled were given the new regimen. You can understand why this is a big deal.

Another “game changer” this year was when researchers in a Children’s Oncology Group (COG) trial found that a new, higher-dose chemotherapy regimen improved the cure rate for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), boosting it to more than 80 percent. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common leukemia in children, but relapses continue to be a problem. This new therapy proved to be better than previous treatments at preventing relapses as well as extending survival, once again resulting in a new standard of care for children with high risk ALL.

So, you can see why it is critical that childhood cancer research continues to receive adequate funding to support these studies that are truly saving the lives of children with cancer. Funding is also needed to expand the scope of research to not only prolong life, but also improve the quality of life for childhood cancer patients before, during and after treatment.

We applaud all of the researchers who are working so hard to better the lives of children with the disease and we’ll continue to support their efforts in our fight against childhood cancer. Who knows, maybe 2012 will be the year that leads to the cure….

Have a happy and healthy start to 2012!

On a lighter note…we’re hoping that you’ll provide us with some feedback about our blog as we look to improve upon it for 2012. Are there any posts that you particularly like or others you don’t necessarily want to hear about? Do you like guest bloggers, off-topic blogs, etc…? Leave a comment or shoot us an email so we can help make this more of what you’re looking for in the coming year.

Guest Blog: Two Renowned Chefs, One Great Cause…

2011-12-19T10:41:00.011-05:00

We’ve had two incredibly successful culinary events in the past two months raising more than $650,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in the fight against childhood cancer. What’s pretty amazing about these events is that they are truly chef-driven. Although our event staff provides a great deal of support, the group of elite chefs who participate are the ones who have been inspired by Alex’s story and taken it upon themselves to create the fundraiser. Two of the participating chefs, Marcus Samuelsson (Red Rooster, Marc Burger, C-House) and Hedy Goldsmith (Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink), were kind enough to blog about their experience at the recent events (Lemon: NYC and L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade) giving an inside perspective on the wonderful food, collegial spirit, challenging weather and most importantly, the fabulous cause.

Marcus Samuelsson (Lemon: NYC)

Who would’ve thought that a child’s simple lemonade stand could someday become a huge powerhouse nonprofit that raises millions of dollars a year for the sole purpose of cancer research and treatment? Well that’s exactly what Alexandra Scott was able to achieve as her dying wish through her idea for Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is a cancer charity that has raised more than $50 million, funding more than 200 cutting-edge research projects, created a travel program to help support families of children receiving treatment and developed resources to help people everywhere affected by childhood cancer.

Last week, I had the honor of participating in a fundraising dinner for Alex’s Lemonade Stand (Lemon: NYC), with 30 or so of my chef colleagues. The event space was donated by Chef Jonathan Waxman and the organization invited 30 renowned chefs to share their dishes with donors to this great cause. I cooked that night alongside great names like Tom Colicchio, Alex Guarnaschelli, Franklin Becker, Bill Telepan, Jonathan Waxman, Tim Love and Tony Mantuano. Each chef had a table of 10 guests to whom they served a unique menu of the chef’s own creation.

Not only will I always remember this event for its great cause and the amazing talents all in one place, but also the design of the event that was unlike any other tasting I’ve previously attended. At this dinner, we had the opportunity to actually cook our food and put together a 3 to 4 course dinner while the guests looked on around the room. At most tastings, there is very little cooking and a lot of greeting and picture taking. At this great dinner, we were able to really focus on the food and then interacted with individual guests at our tables when we presented our dishes. My menu consisted of a Gravlax Poke with Purple Mustard, Jerk Bacon over Cowpeas served with seared Octopus, Coffee-cured Duck with a Foie Gras Terrine and a Watercress salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette. Finally for dessert we served Sweet Potato Donuts. The food was followed by a beautiful ballet performance of The Nutcracker and a live auction.

I had a great time seeing all my colleagues and definitely helping out such a great cause that helps hundreds of children with cancer each year.

Hedy Goldsmith (L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade)

I had the pleasure of being invited to participate in my first Alex's Lemonade Stand chef event in November. It was Suzanne Goin's L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade shindig, and wow what an experience for my first. Truly unforgettable in so many ways... let's begin with the rain! So it's 8 o’clock in the morning on Sunday, November 6 when we arrive to the tents and the weather is horrendous. The mud was up to our knees.... mud and muck! Jen Davidson from camp Barbuto was wearing flip flops – our honorary Miamian. No one was prepared. From fabulous hunter boots to flip flops and everything else in between, and we of course brought the Chuck Taylor sneaker contingent. It was freezing cold and I was worried that people wouldn’t come to the event. My assistant Trew Sterling and I were on the edge of two connecting tents and I kept telling Trew to layer more cardboard down. Trew along with everyone else would go raid all the boxes from people unloading liquor. We'd break them down, pad the ground, and have to go get more in a matter of minutes. We just kept sinking down! Picture an elegant party, like the most beautiful one you can imagine, then add cardboard, water and mud. I say this right now and it all sounds rather dramatic, but the fact is that, well, no one really cared - what were we going to do? Then a miracle happened. At 11:00 am, when guests were to begin arriving, it became picture perfect. The Scott family got on stage and started with the speeches and it was amazing – pretty spectacular. From the pre-party at Nancy's (Nancy Silverton) to the post party at The Hungry Cat in Santa Monica with David (David Lentz) putting out such a beautiful spread with fresh seafood and spicy steamed shrimp and cocktails, spicy chicken wings and fun bar food; it was so sweet and gracious – like the wet morning never happened. The party went very late and all of us on the Genuine team finished at In-N-Out Burger. I'm now hooked on Alex's and can't wait for my next event!

Thanksgiving...continued

2011-12-01T11:17:00.014-05:00

We know…Thanksgiving was last Thursday, but we can’t help to share the moving and inspirational messages of thanks from the hearts of our childhood cancer heroes. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) created a project via our Facebook fans asking our heroes and hero families to submit a photo of themselves or of their child stating what they are thankful for this year. Our heroes never disappoint – the response was overwhelming and the photos are heartwarming to say the least. A select few are below, to view the entire album, check out our photo album on Flickr.

As we enter the final 31 days of 2011, we’re busier than ever here at ALSF. The final preparations are underway for our Lemon: NYC culinary event next week, our Annual Lemon Ball on January 14 and a host of other projects; not to mention trying to get ourselves and families ready for the holidays. However, one look at the dimpled smile on Daniel’s face below or the message from Justin’s family that although simple, resonates to the core, and things get put into perspective pretty quickly. We hope that these snapshots of our heroes living life to the fullest can help instill a sense of calm in your lives as well during this hectic time of year.

Of course, we at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation are thankful for you and your continued support! We’d love to hear more from all of you of what you’re grateful for – please comment on this post and join us as we honor our heroes this holiday season.

Daniel Cooper
7 years old
Daniel is thankful for the doctors to make him not have cancer anymore and that he lives in a home and has friends.

Matt Schechter
10/26/89 - 3/25/10
Matt's family: "Our family will be forever thankful for having had Matt in our lives"

Tony Salerno
8 years old
Tony is thankful for Alex's Lemonade Stand and video games.

Isabel Carles
9 years old
Isabel is thankful for being (almost) 5 years in remission.

Cole Fitzgerald
7 years old
Cole is thankful for his sisters

Justin Bissett
2/9/00 - 6/26/07
Justin's family: "Justin will always remain in our hearts. We are so thankful for all of the great years we had to spend with him."

Alex Podeszwa
Alex is thankful for LIFE.

Jacob Goeders AKA "The Leukemia Slayer"
10 years old
Jacob has renamed himself The Leukemia Slayer and he is thankful for: his friends and family, the great hospital he goes to and... ham & chutney, and lots of it!!!

Alexandra "Alex" Scott
1/18/96 - 8/1/04

Alex's family: "We are thankful that we have so many wonderful people helping kids with cancer and that Alex had this vision for changing the world for kids with cancer."

- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

A time of year to be thankful, and inspired…

2011-11-23T13:08:00.004-05:00

Every year at this time we are reminded of the things we are thankful for – family, friends, health, good fortune; this year in addition to all of these things, I am thankful for something else – Team Lemon. It may sound odd, to be thankful for an athletic team, but as we all know, Team Lemon is so much more than that. It’s a way for athletes of all calibers to raise awareness and funds for the battle against childhood cancer. Here’s the story of how I accidentally fell into being a member of Team Lemon and how during this season of giving thanks, I find myself being thankful for something I didn’t see coming.

Many of us have been inspired by the story of Alexandra “Alex” Scott, her courage in the face of adversity, and her selflessness when while battling her own cancer she literally stood up for other children facing the same plight. I was not immune to this inspiration, it’s the reason I moved to Philadelphia and have dedicated nearly four years of my life to spreading Alex’s mission, the amazing work of volunteers, sponsors and supporters and the brave stories of childhood cancer fighters. What I perhaps did not anticipate was being inspired by another member of the Scott family, Jay Scott, Alex’s dad. It was in early May of this year that Jay challenged members of the ALSF staff to participate in the Broad Street Run as part of Team Lemon. At the time, the thought of me running a 10 mile race was laughable and improbable at best. If you asked members of my softball team, I often complained about running to first base – fortunately for me, I’m not a great softball player so I barely ever had to run further than that! However, for the purposes of ALSF and in support of kids fighting cancer who inspire me every day, I agreed and told myself (and everyone else) that I would simply walk. Somewhere along the line though, things took an unexpected turn and I decided to accept Jay’s challenge and try to run. What transpired next was a complete shock - I found myself actually enjoying the process and accomplishing things I didn’t think were possible. First it was simply being able to jog half a mile, then a mile, then five; to me, it was a miracle of sorts.

I am proud to say that I completed the Broad Street in 1 hour and 37 minutes and to my surprise when the opportunity presented itself to run the half marathon in Philadelphia as part of Team Lemon, I jumped at it. It was unbelievable to think that in 2010 getting up early to cheer on my coworkers at the marathon was a challenge and this year I’d be running it. However, there I was, raising money for the Foundation and gearing up to run 13.1 miles.

Being a part of Team Lemon has taught me a great deal about life and the limits we set for ourselves. Additionally, it’s shown me so much more than just what I am personally capable of – it’s also provided me with an example of what we are all capable of when we pull together. As Alex knew long before I did, when we combine our efforts, we can do anything. Whether it’s simply pushing ourselves to accomplish things we thought once impossible or becoming part of a team to put an end to childhood cancer, the possibilities are endless.

When Team Lemon gathered at our tent prior to the race this past Sunday, I met some other first time half marathon runners who had been inspired by Alex’s courage, and the courage of so many other children battling cancer. We all agreed that the physical strain we were about to put ourselves through on Sunday though not a cake walk, would be nothing compared to the battles that young children facing cancer experience. For me, reaching mile 13.1 was a huge accomplishment, and with the thousands of steps I took that day, I knew they wouldn’t be my last steps to contribute to the battle against childhood cancer. I’ll be back next year as part of Team Lemon, and probably the year after that. It has been a wonderful experience, and one I am surprisingly thankful for this year. I’d recommend it to anyone, if I can do it, you can do it too.

- Gillian Kocher

3rd Annual Lemon Run Philadelphia Brings Sunshine, Families Fighting Together

2011-11-17T15:51:00.006-05:00

The Lemon Run Philadelphia, held on Sunday, November 13, 2011, made for two back to back weekends of successful events for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. After the Foundation’s fantastic foodie event in Los Angeles the weekend before, supporters on the East Coast presented an equally inspiring show of solidarity at the Foundation’s annual Philly 5K Run/Walk and Kids’ Dash.

The brisk and sunny morning brought out nearly 2,000 participants, including runners, walkers, children and those who simply came to show their support in the battle against childhood cancer. The 2011 event was a record breaking year for many reasons, including for funds raised – over $150,000! Intermingled with athletes who came to run the certified course were several fundraising teams honoring childhood cancer fighters.

The fundraising teams created a competition of their own, vying for the top position. Among the teams were Team Gusto, honoring 5-year-old Eli, a resident of Gladwyne village who is fighting his cancer with gusto; Team Mikey Mike, honoring childhood cancer survivor Michael Hoffman; Team Smiley Riley, formed by the family of 2-year-old cancer survivor Riley McComb; and Team Dave-O, honoring the memory of David Theobald, who died of cancer in 1982 at the age of 8. In the end, Team Gusto may have won the fundraising competition, but all the teams were winners knowing that their efforts would go toward the ongoing mission to end childhood cancer. We also want to mention that the top individual fundraiser was 2-year-old Lucy Littlefield, a cancer survivor!

The overall winner of the 3.1 mile race was Rich Burke with a time of 16 minutes and 45 seconds. The overall female winner was Grace Mancini, cruising across the finish line at 18 minutes and 55 seconds.

The morning was a huge success and wouldn’t have been possible without the participation of all runners, walkers, fundraising teams and sponsors. A special shout out to Volvo, and to all those who traveled from out of town to participate in the event. Can you believe that we had people from Syracuse, Houston and even Brazil! Thank you!

For pictures, race results and more information, visit our website: http://www.alexslemonade.org/campaign/lemon-run

- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade, and sunshine

2011-11-10T14:07:00.006-05:00

If you only read the headline, the story would be a simple one – thousands gathered on a sunny afternoon in Los Angeles, California to raise funds and awareness for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the battle against childhood cancer. But if you were anywhere in the vicinity of the culinary cook out to find cures on Sunday, November 6, 2011, you know that the story is far more complex.

Participating chefs, ALSF staff members, celebrities and attendees of L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade awoke to find a gloomy, rainy morning last Sunday. For a city that doesn’t experience much rain, the forecast and outlook was looking very wet. However, just as Alex was determined to hold her lemonade stand through rain or shine, everyone who was setting up the event arrived and began plan b immediately, rearranging tables, booths and of course tents to make the best of the circumstances. It surely was a rainy morning, and just when you thought that the day might turn out to be miserable, a patch of blue sky appeared and the rain started to lessen. By 10am, the sky was completely clear and it appeared as if it was going to be a beautiful day after all. And, it sure was.

By the time VIP guests started to arrive on Sunday, the pandemonium had subsided, and though there was still a little bit of mud to trudge through, everyone’s spirits couldn’t have been higher. As with the inaugural event last year, the food was delicious the auctions were exciting, and everyone had an amazing time. Some of the highlights of the afternoon included: emcee Jimmy Kimmel entertaining everyone rainy day humor; honorary hosts Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka addressing the crowd and sharing their support of the cause; Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook and Joe Mantegna of Criminal Minds coming out and showing their support; several childhood cancer hero families attending and Larry Vincent and his daughter childhood cancer fighter Jordan sharing their journey; a full out bidding war over a women’s chef dinner which would feature host chef Suzanne Goin, Giada De Laurentiis and many other talented ladies; not to mention the fantastic and delicious food. By the way the auction item ended up going to the highest bidder for $61,000 – a record item for the foundation.

Overall the event was attended by more than 1,000, raised over $400,000, and it surely was an event to remember from beginning to end. A special and heartfelt thanks go to Suzanne Goin, David Lentz and Caroline Styne for their dedication to helping achieve Alex’s dream. L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade wouldn’t exist and certainly wouldn’t be possible without them. Another group to thank are the sponsors who made the event possible – Volvo, Activision and Paramount Citrus. Thank you to everyone who attended or contributed in some way – we look forward to seeing you in 2012!

- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

A Visit to Seattle Children's Hospital

2011-10-28T11:22:00.008-04:00

Each year ALSF staff member, Lisa Towry, travels to cancer research centers and children’s hospitals in different cities. This year she visited Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC). Over the years ALSF has helped fund researchers at these two Seattle institutions to find what causes childhood cancers, help deliver better treatments and improve the quality of life and care for kids with cancer. Lisa had the pleasure of touring their labs, learning more about their research and presenting checks!

Take a look at the researchers that Lisa met with over the course of her time in Seattle:

Young Investigator Award 2010
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
Scott Diede, MD, PhD, The Role of DNA Methylation in Pediatric Cancer

Young Investigator Award 2011
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
Rebecca Gardner, MD, Engineering a Graft Versus Leukemia Effect into Cord Blood Transplant for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Program Infrastructure
Seattle Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, WA
Russ Geyer, MD, Improving Development of and Patient Access to Early Phase Pediatric Cancer Clinical Trials
Julie Park, MD, Advanced Therapeutics for Pediatric Cancer

Not pictured but also part of the visit to Children's Hospital was Fiona Macpherson, PhD who received a Nurse Researcher grant in 2008 to look into the current scale used to rate fatigue in pediatric oncology patients. She found that a simple prescreening can eliminate the need for the entire set of questions. For this population who fill out massive amounts of paperwork and surveys, the potential to fill out one less is very significant.

One of the most endearing and inspirational parts of Lisa’s visit to Seattle Children’s was the view from an oncology patient playroom. What you see above is the construction of a new building where the SCH oncology in-patient unit will be housed. The kids posted their names on the window and the workers started to spray paint messages to them on the building’s newly constructed beams. As you can see from the amount of messages, the kids got a thrill and a pick-me-up from seeing their names sprayed in different colors.

“One of the best parts of working at ALSF is when we get to see the real work being done because of the time our supporters put into collecting funds and ALSF spends implementing programs,” says Lisa. “It is invigorating to develop grants based on the needs of researchers at this very moment and that will lead to bettering the lives of and treatments for kids battling cancer.”

- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Scaring Away Childhood Cancer Through “The 13 Days of Halloween”

2011-10-25T11:22:00.003-04:00

We all know that childhood cancer is a scary thing, and we fight back all year to find better treatments and cures for kids battling cancer. As a way to continue our quest to “scare” childhood cancer away, we have created The 13 Days of Halloween, which provides fun and frightening (in the most fun ways possible!) ways to raise funds and awareness during the last two weeks of October.

The countdown to Halloween officially began on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 and continues all the way up to the spookiest holiday of the year on October 31. The first day’s tip is to host a boo-tastic lemonade stand or event. What does that mean exactly you may be asking, well it’s simple – you just host an Alex’s Lemonade Stand using a Halloween theme. Here are some quick ways to transform your lemonade stand into a boo-tastically Halloween stand:

Decorate your stand with spider webs and creepy crawly bugs. You can also use special effects items like a strobe light, fog machine or dry ice for an extra eerie feeling. Why not incorporate Halloween music or spooky noises too?
Try making Witchie Lemonade. It fizzes and has slimy eyeballs. Visit our website for the recipe!
Instead of using Alex’s Lemonade Stand’s signature yellow color, decorate your stand in orange and black for a Halloween effect!

Does that sound like a way to have a scary amount of fun? Head over to our website to register now.

Also, make sure to check out our youtube page every day for more ways to continue your support of the foundation throughout the month of October – we promise it will be fun, ok and let’s be honest, not too frightening!

- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Nurse Researcher Workshop 2011

2011-10-13T14:07:00.005-04:00

It’s not a secret that Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for all kids with cancer; in fact it’s our mission. As you probably know, research is our priority, and we are constantly working toward the day when every child that faces cancer will receive the best treatments and ultimately cures. Of course it sounds very simple, but the journey to get there is not a short one. While we continue to fund the research of the best doctors across the country, we also know that the quality of care and life that childhood cancer patients receive on a daily basis is very important. Thus, a few years ago, we began funding the research of nurses.

In addition to funding the work of nurse researchers, for the past two years, ALSF has hosted a Nurse Researcher Workshop in Philadelphia inviting nurses from all over the country (and Canada too!) to participate in the two-day workshop. The workshop allows them to learn how to refine their research questions, gain knowledge about how to work with their institutions, practice disseminating research findings and apply these skills by completing a mock grant application. On the first day of the workshop this year, one of our staffers, Gillian Kocher, sat in while Marilyn Hockenberry, PhD, RN, FANN, PNP of the Baylor College of Medicine gave her key note speech. Here is Gillian’s account of the event:

I arrived at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on a beautiful Thursday morning. After making my way up to the 33rd floor, I was greeted by the familiar faces of nurses from around the country who had traveled to Philadelphia for the nurse researcher workshop. I made it in time for breakfast and had the opportunity to chat with some of the attendees before settling in to Marilyn’s speech. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Kathy Perko from the Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation in Oregon and was happy to discuss our athletic adventures!

Right before Marilyn Hockenberry began her speech, we all went around the room and introduced ourselves (yes, even me!). At that moment, I couldn’t help but notice how passionate each and every person in the room was about their work to better the lives of childhood cancer patients. I was genuinely touched and inspired, in fact I mentioned to someone else sitting next to me that I was reevaluating my career path – I wanted to be a nurse! It wasn’t a false statement either, I think having the ability to change people’s lives every day and make a hands on difference is a true gift, and I’m thankful for each and every nurse out there who is doing just that. They have a unique view into the world of their patients, including childhood cancer patients, and it’s inspiring to see this group come together to work toward making those worlds better.

Marilyn’s key note speech was great and outlined the activities that would be taking place over the course of the next two days. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I won’t share all the details here, but one thing that stood out in my mind (and I think the minds of everyone else in attendance) was that one of the participants, Ki Moore, DNSc, RN, FAAN of the University of Arizona School of Nursing, would soon be honored with the 2011 Pathfinder Award from the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research (FNINR). This prestigious national award, which is said to be the highest in nursing, is given to a nurse researcher whose work demonstrates a sustained program of scientific contributions in a field that advances understanding of human health and health care. Ki’s research has focused on children with cancer, especially leukemia, providing insights for promoting cognitive and school performance recovery after treatment. How cool that one of the nurses that ALSF has funded is receiving this award, seems like a big deal to me!

Regardless, I left the morning feeling re-energized, and even if I don’t follow a path into nursing, I’m glad to know that they are out there, and that they are working to change the lives of kids with cancer and their families on a daily basis.

- Gillian Kocher

Last Call! Sign up for a lemonade stand and instantly raise $50

2011-10-06T13:51:00.008-04:00

September may be over, but there is still time to show your Strawberry Shortcake spirit on behalf of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. As you may know, Strawberry Shortcake has been a supporter of ALSF for two years now, helping to garner attention for the cause during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Well, this year, they have extended their efforts into October and are inviting supporters to enjoy the fall weather by hosting a Strawberry Shortcake Lemonade Stand. Need more incentive to host a stand as the leaves fall? Well, Strawberry Shortcake will donate $50 for each stand registered – that’s on top of the funds you are able to raise!

If you’re still not in the spirit, we thought it might help to see some of the other Strawberry Shortcake Stands in action. Check out the photos below for inspiration and head over to our website to sign up today!

>> View more photos here!

Sponsor Update!

The staff at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was thrilled when we received a check for nearly $1.6 million from Toys“R”Us this week. As you may recall, Toys“R”Us held their first fundraising drive for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation this summer, and clearly it was a huge success. We are so thankful to the efforts of Toys“R”Us and look forward to working with them again next year.

Above: ALSF staff with the check from Toys"R"Us

Did we mention that along with Volvo, Toys“R”Us is presenting our Lemon Ball Gala on January 14, 2012? To find out more information and purchase your tickets today, click here.

- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

And we’re not slowing down yet…

2011-09-28T15:14:00.005-04:00

That’s right, summer may be over, but we’re continuing to “race” through the year. This past weekend, we celebrated our very first Max’s Ring of Fire Lemon Run in San Diego on Sunday, September 25, 2011. We’re happy to say that in our first year working with Max’s Ring of Fire (MROF), The MROF Lemon raised over $15,000 and saw over 300 participants come out to support the battle against childhood cancer. The 4.6 mile course, which was built to honor the 46 children diagnosed with cancer each weekday, circled Lake Miramar. You could certainly feel the unity (and competitiveness!) as the runners (and walkers!) took to the course on Sunday morning. The emcee was wonderful, participation was great, and we are looking forward to improving upon the event next year.

This weekend, we’ll be moving right along to our very first 5K in the Kansas City area. The event, which will be held in Waterfall Park in Independence, is shaping up to be great for an inaugural year. We’ll have the participation of the Blue Springs South High School (BSSHS) softball team and coaches. A student of BSSHS, and friend of the girls, is currently battling leukemia and the girls felt that participating in the Lemon Run Kansas City would be a great way to support their friend. There are still spots left in this race, and we hear the weather is going to be wonderful. We hope to see you there on Sunday, and we’ll report back on the results next weekend.

Many of us will also be heading out to the Maple Grove Raceway this weekend to support TBC Retail Group and their Nitro Funny Car Driver Johnny Gray. Johnny ran “The Lemonator” car in Denver this summer, which was decked out in all things Alex’s Lemonade Stand. He had such a good time (as did everyone else in attendance!) that we are doing it all over again in our backyard, Reading. Many hero families will join us for the race, and we are looking forward to sharing this thrilling experience with them.

Don’t forget, that we also have our Lemon Run in Philadelphia coming up. This 5K takes place in beautiful Fairmount Park and invites athletes of all calibers to run or walk the course. There will also be a series of fun runs for children. This event is entering its third year and continuing to grow!

As you can see, we are nearing the end of the year, but we’re still moving full steam ahead. Along with these fast and fun events, we have L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade and Lemon: NYC on the horizon. It’s been a busy year, and yet we still have a busy year ahead!

- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

MyChildhoodCancer: The Childhood Cancer Database Survey

2011-09-22T11:30:00.003-04:00

When our daughter Alexandra “Alex” Scott was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer, it would be an understatement to say that our lives were turned upside down. As young parents (we were in our 20’s at the time), we were certainly scared, and part of the reason why was that we simply didn’t know anything about childhood cancer, especially the form Alex had. After walking out of the hospital, we were desperate to find information – we looked through medical textbooks, searched the internet, and tried to find any source of information about the disease that could possibly help as we entered the uncharted territory.

Looking back at that time now, wouldn’t it have been great to have a source of information to go to about neuroblastoma, and all types of childhood cancers. Wouldn’t it have been great if that source of information included the experiences of families prior to diagnosis, during diagnosis, through treatment and beyond? We think the answer is: YES! So, in light of that very fact, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is pleased to introduce our latest project, MyChildhoodCancer.org - The Childhood Cancer Database.

In an effort to better understand the impact of childhood cancer on families, ALSF’s new project will work to gather data from the source – parents of children with cancer. These family members of former and current childhood cancer patients will be invited to take a series of anonymous surveys about their experience, their child and their family. The hope is that this information can be used to learn about childhood cancers and help organizations (like ALSF!), hospitals and physicians identify and share ways to help families as they move through all the stages of childhood cancer.

At ALSF, we know just how important finding better treatments and ultimately cures for childhood cancer is, and we are as dedicated as ever to funding the best research out there. However, from time to time, we also become aware of other things that might be missing from the childhood cancer world, including data that could lead to new discoveries and make a difference in the day to day lives of families facing the disease, as well as doctors as they look for those treatments and cures. We think this information can have many different uses, all of equal importance, and we hope that many childhood cancer families will contribute!

The database project will be housed at www.MyChildhoodCancer.org, where childhood cancer parents and legal guardians will be met with a survey asking questions about their personal experience with childhood cancer. The first survey in the series is focused on the time period before and early on in a child’s cancer diagnosis. Additional surveys will include experiences leading up to treatment, during and after, as well as how families coped, and are coping in the time following.

For more information on the survey, or for families wishing to participate, visit: www.MyChildhoodCancer.org.

What do you think of this new project?

- Liz and Jay Scott, Alex's parents