By: Liz Scott
Twenty-two years and six weeks ago, Alex held her last lemonade stand. Although we were surrounded by love and support, our hearts were breaking. We knew it was her last. We knew it was the beginning of the end: the end of her years of lemonade stands, the end of her battle with cancer, and the closing of the precious time we had left together.
Then on August 1, 2004, our beautiful daughter, Alexandra Scott, died. She was 8 years old.
I really didn’t think we could hold a lemonade stand without her. They were her stands, with “Alex’s” painted on the top signposts. What would they be without her? It felt unfair she couldn’t be there. It felt impossible, really, that we could continue to fight for a cure when our daughter died without one.
But, it was also impossible to think that our force of nature daughter’s hard work and dedication would end. And it didn’t.
My sweet but headstrong Alex always challenged us. I remember her early lemonade stands. I thought we’d give the donations to Alex’s hospital and have those donations earmarked for neuroblastoma research. Alex told me that was selfish and we needed to help all children. At the end of her life, when things were as hard as they had ever been, Alex gave everything she had to help create a better path to a cure for kids who would come after her. How could we, in our grief, not try to do the same?
Alex also inspired and brought together people from all over to continue her work. Alex’s lemonade stands were popping up everywhere, not to mourn Alex, but to celebrate her life and continue her important mission. We realized that even without Alex, there was something still so beautiful and hopeful that she left us. And her mission and “lemonade family” hasn’t stopped growing. Her stand is no longer about one little girl searching for cures, but about a community of dedicated supporters carrying on her vision that honors all children with cancer and continues to push to do our very best for them.
We miss Alex with every breath, but we embrace her legacy with all our hearts.
To my beautiful, smart, lemonade girl, Alex, we love you and miss you. We promise to keep holding your stands — until there are cures for all kids.
In Honor of Alex
Alexandra “Alex” Scott left a legacy of community, hope, and lemonade stands. Since her first stand, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised close to $400 million, funded more than 2,000 research projects and supported tens of thousands of families as they navigate cancer treatment. Honor Alex’s legacy by donating today.
