Hi,

My name is Aria. Ever since I can remember my mom has told me I was a miracle baby. My mom went into labor with me early in the morning before the sun was even up. She felt a “gush” like they had told her at the O.B. she might but when she looked between her legs while she was getting up instead of clear water all she saw was bright red blood, covering her bed & still running down her legs. She knew something was very wrong along with it being way too early for me to make my debut. Her pastor at that time, the late Michael Halstead of Westside Church here in town came to pick my mom up to rush her to the hospital. My beloved Poppa, who unfortunately died 2 years ago to kidney & heart disease, left work when he heard my mom was in labor with me as I was his first grandchild to be born & was there on the labor & delivery floor for hours waiting for my arrival. I was born later that night at 9:55pm, premature, & had to stay longer in the hospital as a border baby getting phototherapy done because I had jaundice so bad. While I was getting phototherapy I was only wearing my diaper & goggles over my eyes. I don’t remember any of this but my mom said I hated having those goggles over my eyes & kept trying to swat them off. My mom said even though it hurt her to her core to see me like that she still sat & stood there, right beside me, the whole time while I was getting my treatments done, feeling so sorry for me, her beautiful baby girl, wiping away her own tears, telling me “momma loves you, my beautiful baby girl”, & praying to GOD that I would be ok. I was so small that my mom had to wait for a special side car seat to be bought to the hospital I was born from another hospital 90 minutes away just so she could take me home when I was well enough to be discharged because a regular car seat would have been way too big for me & not safe. My mom has always told me that I need to be thankful to GOD every day that I am alive & now a healthy & strong 13 year old girl. She tells me I can be anything I want to be & do anything I want to do when I grow up as long as I am following GOD’s laws. She tells me I need to be thankful for the life I have because there is always someone less fortunate than me. She tells me I need to use my talents & abilities GOD gave me for good & to help others. This year, I tried out for cheerleading. I was so nervous even though I love dancing & have good coordination but my mom & dad both told me I didn’t need to be nervous because I had it & guess what? I did! I made the Junior Varsity Cheer Squad for Fort Dodge Senior High as an upcoming freshman for 2026/2027.

Not only is this the year I made the cheerleading squad but this is also the year I found out about a little girl named Alex who was less fortunate than me. Alex was a little girl who loved fashion just like me. I want to go to college to be a fashion stylist when I grow up. But there is a big difference between Alex & me. Alex didn’t get a chance to grow up. Alex died when she was only 8 years old due to neuroblastoma, which is a type of childhood cancer. Alex was diagnosed with cancer just before she turned one but she didn’t let that stop her. Alex did so much good even though her time here on Earth was cut short. When Alex was just 4 years old, she told her parents she wanted to host a lemonade stand in her front yard to raise money so doctors could find a cure for childhood cancer. Her first year she raised $2,000. Alex continued to host yearly lemonade stands until she lost her battle with cancer at just 8 years old. But her story doesn’t end there. Alex had set a personal goal for herself of raising 1 million dollars for finding a cure for childhood cancer & before she died she reached her goal of 1 million dollars. Alex started her 1st lemonade stand in June. Alex didn’t know how much of an impact she would have & the foundation that would be created after she was gone due to her unselfish act of trying to raise money by selling lemonade to find a cure for a disease she was bravely battling every single day, childhood cancer. Alex unfortunately died in 2004, before I was born, so I never got a chance to meet this brave little girl but her legacy lives on. In honor of her memory, Alex’s parents started the non profit organization formally known as the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Every year during the month of June, the month 4 year old Alex held her first lemonade stand, people across the country join together hosting lemonade stands during “Lemonade Day’s.”

This year, I’m hosting my 1st annual Alex’s Lemonade Stand from 10:30am- 1:30pm on Monday, June 1, 2026 outside Party Productions here in Fort Dodge, Iowa. My goal is $2,500. $2,500 funds one week of childhood cancer research & I’m hoping to meet or surpass my goal with your help so that we can kick childhood cancer’s butt! I plan to host an Alex’s Lemonade Stand every year during “Lemonade Day’s” in June in Fort Dodge until I graduate high school in 2030 because I want to do my part & help get the word out so hopefully one day a cure for childhood cancer can be found.

So today, I’m asking not only my hometown of Fort Dodge, Iowa but everyone that sees or hears this message to please donate to Alex’s Lemonade Stand & together we can help find a cure for childhood cancer. Donate in honor of those brave little kids like Alex, who lost their fight to childhood cancer. Donate for those kid’s who continue to battle childhood cancer courageously every single day. If you can’t make it out to my stand on June 1st this year don’t let that stop you. You can donate online on my page at Alex’s Lemonade Stand dot com. Just search for my page by typing in my zip code 50501 & click on Aria’s 1st Annual Alex’s Lemonade Stand & click donate. Every little bit helps. So come by & see me on June 1st & get some nice, cold, refreshing lemonade all while knowing any amount you donate helps fund childhood cancer research or stop by my page & donate if you’re not able to make it out. I hope one day a cure to childhood cancer will be found

… Thanks for taking the time to read my personal story about why I started fundraising for Alex’s Lemonade Stand… A great cause started by an even greater & brave little girl named Alex

#ChildhoodCancerAwareness #Alex’sLemonadeStand