Fight Against Childhood Cancer Kept Alive by Friends of Young Victims
When 13-year-old Sydney Tune stood in front of 70 Pennsylvania school principals and administrators in Spotsylvania County, Pa., in February to make her pitch, she wasn't sure if any of them would listen.
The Spotsylvania Middle School seventh grader shared the story of her friend, Jordan DuPriest, who died in November after a two-year struggle with brain cancer. She offered alarming statistics, including that “720 children are diagnosed worldwide with cancer each day,” and explained why it was so important to continue her friend’s efforts to raise money for pediatric cancer research.
“There’s many people impacted by cancer,” Sydney says. “It’s not just a couple of people in the community. It’s so many people. At one point in my elementary school, three kids at the same time were going through cancer.”
The administrators couldn’t say no to Sydney. They gave her a standing ovation and agreed to help with her goal of raising $8,000 to fund one month of research. The money would go to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, an organization that Jordan was passionate about.
The concept behind Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation began with Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was diagnosed with childhood cancer on her first birthday. At four, Alex set up a lemonade stand to raise money to help doctors find a cure for pediatric cancer. By the time Alex died, at eight, in 2004, she had raised more than $1 million for cancer research. After her death, her parents started the foundation—which gives 90 percent of money raised to research of childhood cancers—in her memory. Administrative costs make up the other 10 percent.
To raise money, kids are tasked with setting up lemonade stands, which help them make a difference “one cup at a time.” According to the foundation’s website, this has allowed “people who would not usually participate in fundraising, especially children, to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer. Lemonade stands allow children to be a part of the change.”
In addition to raising money for a great cause, kids also learn valuable lessons, and schools often play a key role in the foundation’s success.
“Schools are integral supporters of the foundation and share a similar vision as we do to nurture children to be their very best and to make a difference in the lives of other children,” Shaun Banta, a fundraising specialist at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, says. “Hosting a lemonade stand is a great way to involve every member of a school community in the fight against childhood cancer. Children can play an integral role by helping to make and serve the lemonade, and teachers can provide support where needed.”
The foundation has also created a school curriculum that covers all subject areas. For example, students can research the mission and background of Alex’s Lemonade Stand and compare and contrast Alex Scott with a literary figure who also made a difference. In math, students can calculate cost versus revenue when hosting a stand and figure out necessary space for tables by finding perimeter and area. The curriculum also covers social studies, science, music, technology, health, foreign language, and arts.
The foundation hosts a yearly contest called “The Great Lemonade War!” Inspired by the book The Lemonade War, by Jacqueline Davies, the contest challenges schools to compete to determine which can raise the most money through a lemonade stand project. Schools are awarded prizes, including a visit by Davies and free books.
Sydney read The Lemonade War a couple of years ago but says her inspiration to raise money came from her friend. “I had worked a lemonade stand with Jordan a year before, so I knew a little bit about it but not much,” Sydney said.
Over the past few weeks, Sydney has operated lemonade stands at various school events. The two girls met at Courtland Elementary School, which continues a hat day tradition that Jordan started before she died. In a worthwhile trade-off, students are allowed to wear a hat to school if they make a donation to Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Sydney asked administrators to create a countywide hat day in March; many of them agreed to the project.
Through her efforts, Sydney has surpassed her goal. She raised $10,000 in eight weeks for the foundation, but she’s not stopping. She wants to raise $3,000 more by Jordan’s 13th birthday, which is June 29.
“We have more principals wanting to be involved,” Dawn Tune, Sydney’s mom, says. “Kids are all hyped up now. They want to do it next year because they think they can do it better. Jordan was passionate about Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and it’s great that we can carry on her work.”
Related stories on TakePart:
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• Teachers Tell Us the Funniest Things Kids Ever Said to Them
• 8-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Raises More Than $17,000 to Fight Modern Day Slavery
• 8 Life-Changing Field Trips for Kids
Original article from TakePart
