Cancer victim, 8, sells lemonade to help her hospital
It started with a picnic table in the front yard, a jug of lemonade and a little girl with cancer who wanted to raise money for her hospital.
That was four years ago. Alexandra Scott, 8, is still fighting a painful form of cancer attacking her nervous system, and some days she is so weak she can barely talk. But through all the radiation, chemotherapy and blood transfusions, she has remained dedicated to raising money to fight her disease.
Alex's passion has motivated hundreds of cancer survivors and volunteers throughout the United States to sell lemonade in her name. Today, lemonade stands will spring up in all 50 states Ð and Ontario, and France Ð to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. Back when she was four, Alex simply hoped to gather as many quarters, nickel and dimes as she could. This year, her goal is to raise US$1-million in one day. That's a lot of lemons.
"Every single year, we say it couldn't be bigger than last year," said Alex's mother, Liz Scott. "It's amazing, honestly."
Speaking from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where Alex was receiving transfusions yesterday, Ms. Scott described how her daughter has become a reluctant hero for children battling neuroblastoma, a relatively rare nerve c ell cancer that affects young children.
A few days before Alex turned one, the Scotts noticed a growth on their daughter's spine. Doctors quickly diagnosed Alex with neuroblastoma.
The cancer originated in her abdomen but had grown and surrounded her spine. Alex had her first surgery on her first birthday. Many more would follow as tumours spread throughout her body.
During one operation, doctors removed a portion of Alex's spinal cord. They warned she might not walk, but she beat the odds and walks anyway. Her mother says she has always been stubborn and determined.
That is exactly how the lemonade stands started. When Alex was four, she decided she was going to have a lemonade stand in the front yard of the Connecticut home on the July 4 weekend. She planned to sell the lemonade for 50 cents a glass and give the money to her hospital so other children would not have to suffer like she did.
Alex's parents tried to dissuade her, fearing no one would come. Ms. Scott called Alex's aunt to ensure she would have at least one customer. The aunt called the local newspaper, and Alex brought in more than US$2,000.
The Scotts, who are also raising three boys, moved to the Philadelphia area so Alex could be close to the children's hospital. Mr. Scott, who sells medical books and journals, was able to arrange a transfer through his company.
The Lemonade tradition came with them. Both Connecticut and Pennsylvania have passed resolutions declaring June 12 "Alex's Lemonade Stand Day." The campaign slogan is simple: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Alex has raised more than US$200,000, and in the past week, her story was featured on The Today Show and Oprah. Even though the past six months have been particularly hard on her, she insisted on making both appearances. Ms. Scott said the national attention has been rough on her daughter.
"She had good days and bad days, but her bad days are probably more extreme than other people's bad days. It's a very difficult illness to deal with, never mind for eight years," she said from the hospital.
"To have the added element of being such a voice for childhood cancer awareness, which she's very willing to do, that weighs on her sometimes, too.
"She feels like she needs to be up and positive, but maybe she doesn't feel like it that day. I really think she's a hero in that respect because she does put herself second to raising money, even though we discourage her from doing that, oftentimes."
Alex has Stage 4 neuroblastoma. The survival rate in the United States is 35% to 40%. As Ms. Scott described Alex's latest tumours Ð one in a leg bone and another growing on her upper spine Ð her daughter asked her to stop talking. "She doesn't want me to talk about where her tumours are," Ms. Scott said.
All the attention is paying off. After Alex appeared on national television, donations flowed to the Philadelphia foundation, which administers Alex's Lemonade Stand Fund. The foundation took in more than US$10,200 last week. Viewers logged on to Alex's Web site, www.alexslemonade.com, and signed up to help. The number of stands planned for the United States jumped from 300 to 1,000.
At that rate, each stand only needs to raise US$1,000 for Alex to reach her goal.
"Alex is an inspiration for everybody who's ever had the pleasure of meeting her," said Phil Arkow of the Philadelphia Foundation.
"This is all her doing. She's got an indomitable spirit."
Alex is determined to attend the lemonade sale at her elementary school in a suburb of Philadelphia, if only for a few minutes. Her classmates are running the stand.
In Minneapolis, the family of a young boy battling neuroblastoma will set up a stand outside the baseball stadium where the Twins are playing the Phillies. More than 30 stands are planned for Connecticut. A Pennsylvania family that moved to France is organizing a stand near Fontainebleau. Another family will sell lemonade outside a photo shop in Hillsborough, N.J. and in Toronto, the grandparents of a child with neuroblastoma have organized a sale outside a Shoppers Drug Mart. The list goes on.
In Blue Springs, Mo., The Mozer family will have a stand outside a local grocery store. Seven-year-old Jacob Mozer was also diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma but it is now in remission. Dr. Mozer, a pediatrician, said the "pure innocence" of Alex's story has struck a chord.
"I've already made US$600 and we haven't even poured one glass of lemonade yet," he said yesterday.
In Canada, another child's story has had a similar effect. James Birrell of Peterborough, Ontario had just turned eight when he died of neuroblastoma in December, 2001. His father, Syd, developed a worldwide following by e-mailing thoughtful updates on his son's condition. (Ms. Scott keeps a similar journal about Alex at www.caringbridge.com/page/alexscott.)
The Birrells started a fund for neuroblastoma research before James died. The James Fund has raised more than $430,000 to date.
"I am tremendously impressed that a little girl and her family who are struggling with life-and-death matters on a daily basis are taking the time and energy to promote research into kid cancer," Mr. Birrell said yesterday.
"It's very brave for them to do that."