Nurses play a critical role in the life of a family affected by childhood cancer. They are medical caregivers—overseeing medication schedules, post-surgery care and coordinating therapy appointments. They help manage pain and treatment side effects. They also provide emotional support to families—supporting parents, affected children and siblings when life is at its most uncertain.
Today, January 18, 2018, would have been my daughter Alex’s 22nd birthday; most of you know her as the founder of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Every year as Alex’s birthday rolls around, I wonder what is left to say about Alex. I have shared so much about her amazing life, her heartbreaking struggles and her extraordinary ability to persist. She was a special girl that is certain. I am proud to be her mom.
In 2013, I shared some words of wisdom from my daughter. Now, four years later, these words are even truer and more powerful. Keep reading to see why we all believe in miracles at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and how you can help this Giving Tuesday.
Our founder, Alex Scott, was fortunate in her life to have her older brother Patrick, and two younger brothers, Eddie and Joey – her 3 SuperSibs. Alex’s brothers remain involved and committed to helping other childhood cancer families.
The following letter is a heartfelt tribute that Alex’s older brother Patrick wrote on August 1, 2017. Patrick was an important part of Alex's lemonade stands--helping her set up and run her front yard lemonade stand.
ALSF Founder Alex Scott had one big idea: to host lemonade stands to help other kids just like her feel better. When Alex was just 4-years-old, she hosted her first lemonade stand. That first stand kept growing each year and four years later, when Alex was 8-years-old, her lemonade stand raised $1 million for childhood cancer research.
In our book, Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand, there is a picture of a woman on crutches. This character was based on one of Alex’s favorite nurses, a woman named Lisa. Alex loved her so much, that she once asked Lisa if she would come along if her lemonade stand took a cross-country road trip. Alex did not want to her port accessed by nurses that didn’t know how to do it as good as Lisa did.
I am always inspired when I watch basketball and, for me, March Madness is the best basketball time of the year! I like watching basketball, especially youth basketball because kids play their hearts out.
Jason is a high school student who plans to get a PhD in mathematics. When he was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma. He had a rotationplasty, a surgery that saved Jason's leg, and his life. He's been able to remain active 13 years later!
In 2004, while battling neuroblastoma, Alex Scott painted what would become a 