Today was another huge success at Kentucky Trust Banks. We had two stands set up at Fairview and Campbell Lane locations. They raised 900.00!!! Thanks to KTB for there help in this. Another group of kids worked really hard.
So, now we are over 14,000.00!!!! What an accomplishment and vital step in finding new cures and treatments. We will be in touch with more details soon. Some donations are still coming in!!
Saturday July 9 was a huge success! Thanks so much for everyone who helped or visited a stand or supported us in anyway. The kids had a great time and I think most all can say it was a very rewarding experieng!
Thanks so much to the Daily News, WBKO, WUHU, Beaver and all the media attention that helped us get the word out there. Thanks also to Salon Panache and the support of Independence bank and the merchants of Thoroughbred Square for making our kick off such a success!!
We will continue to make on more big push this week. We are still working on totals, but looks like we are just about 2,000 short of where we were last year.
It's not to late to join the support. Donate online or contact us to get a donation to us. We know research is the key for finding new hope, cures and treatments!!!!
if your office or business would like some lemonade delivered this week or next week, please email us at alexslemonadebg@insightbb.com or call Riley at 842-7452 and we will bring some by.
Thanks so much to all of you that have supported us so far!!! We can't thank you enough and know that you are helping us find new cures and treatments for a great cause!!
We want to tell you about some of the people we are honoring, including 10 year old Abby Cummings who has neuroblastoma and goes to Lost River Elementary. You can meet and learn more about her at her care page at: caringbridge.org/visit/abbycummings
My friend Shelby England is doing this in memory of her cousin Chase who also had neuroblastoma diagnosed at the precious age of 2. . Sadly, he lost his battle in 1994 but not without a brave fight.
There is also going to be a big drive thru lemonade stand at Rockfield school with Julia Gensheimer and her friends. They are going to honor one of their teachers, Mrs. Holemon. She had neuroblastoma as a child but is a real survivor! Please read her story below!!!!!!!!
If you will like to host a stand this year or help out with existing stands, please contact us at alexslemonadebg@insightbb.com
We hope you can visit a stand, but if you live out of town or can't participate here, please consider helping our efforts!! All of us our working very hard to do our part in helping other kids have a cancer-free life. We wanted to share this site so secure donations could be made online. Many hospitals, such as Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, benefit from the money raised through Alex's stands. New treatments and cures are being discovered all the time.
You can find out more about the Alex fund at the website alexslemonade.com
Currently their will be stands July 8th in: Hartland, Briarwood (one off back of Ironwood and one on Sherwood Dr), Bent Tree (Newberry Street) , Talbot Place, Hunting Creek (Grider Pond Rd) , Claiborne Farms/Hunters Crossing (corner of Shetland/Hunters Crossing) , Sutherland Farms, Hidden River, Rivergreen (1-4 pm), Medical Center (CCU floor), Crossridge, Crossroads IGA in Alvaton, Cherry Hills, Diamond Equipment on Lover's Lane, Corner of Smallhouse and Elmhurst and Rockfield School. More are being added, so please join us in this fight!! I will tell you more about my friends who are hosting these stands soon! Times vary, please check with your location or contact us at 842-7452 for more details.
We all had fun last year and it was a huge success. We are hoping for another successful year and would love your help!
Thanks for visiting, please check back and send this link to your friends! We'd love to hear from you!
Here is a great story:
Two months after celebrating life and blowing out candles on my 6th birthday I was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pains and had an appendectomy. This common procedure was a success however during the recovery of this surgery my body suffered from acute pneumonia. This was the first sign of the monster growing in my small 40 pound body. As soon as the infection would leave my body another infection would erupt causing the doctors to question the frequency and reoccurrence of this growing beast that almost took over my little body.
After several trips to the hospital in Paducah, KY and extensive medical procedures the doctors discovered a mediastinal mass and referred me to Vanderbilt’s Children’s Hospital. It was then when the so-called monster was finally given the name Ganglioneuromablastoma. The doctors discovered that the tumor was pressing against my ribs and wrapping itself around the vertebra in a root like manner. To remove the entire tumor and branches that attached itself around the nerves of the spine could have possibly caused paralysis. This was a challenge for the doctors not to mention the huge leap of faith my family was experiencing.
In October of ‘77 Dr. James O’Neill performed a six hour surgery to remove the orange size tumor that was thought to be in my body since birth. Most of the tumor was removed but a little edge of the tumor remained on the aorta but it was not deemed necessary to do any extensive chest wall resection at that time. During a two week stay in the intensive care unit and an additional week in the pediatric unit at Vanderbilt Hospital I was able to return home on my 7th birthday to once again blow out candles, and celebrate the gift of life. But this time to cherish life and the second chance I was given.
For the next month the daily one hour trip to the hospital to receive radiation treatment to my esophagus and spine was on my to-do list. (Not the typical to-do list of a seven year old.) The treatment left me weak and my throat very sore which even talking became a hard task. However in receiving the treatment, the doctors warned my parents that the radiation that my body endured may cause some harm to my reproductive organs. Little hope was given for me to ever be able to give life. Every six weeks for the next year involved traveling to Nashville to endure a series of bone scans, bone marrow tests, lab work, and x-rays to ensure that the radiation had destroyed the nerve cells that had been left. After the first year the visits were stretched out to every 3 months for the same ritual tests. After five years of careful medical evaluations Dr. O’Neill felt that the reoccurrence of this particular tumor was not a probability. However, I continued to have yearly visits until my senior year in high school. This was the end of the 12 year nightmare that my family and I experienced. In 1989 I enrolled at WKU to pursue a degree in education and in 1993 I graduated and then married Eric, my high school sweetheart. Five years later God blessed us with Allison (8 years old) and later in 2002, God blessed us with Lauren (4 years old). This just shows that God is far greater and with hope, faith, and love even the most difficult obstacles can be overcome. Even though this was a challenging and long year for me and my family, The good Lord above walked with us every step of the way and His love was never ending. He definitely gave us the strength to conquer this monster that intruded my body and family’s life.
Not everyone’s story has a happy ending like mine. I am so grateful to Dr. Settle, my family doctor, Vanderbilt University, and Dr. O’Neill who was determined that I would soon be healthy again. The overwhelming strength, bountiful prayers, and abundance of love that my mom and dad showed me during that difficult time in my life has showered me with the strength and courage and has made me the person that I am today.