More than 1,000 stop by Alex's Lemonade Stand
Montco 8-year-old founded national cancer research effort.
By Steve Wartenberg
Of The Morning Call
Patrick Scott, 9, says his sister Alexandra, 8, is a hero.
''She's a hero because she helps a lot of kids and some people said she couldn't raise so much money, but she did,'' Patrick said. ''And she's brave because she still goes through all the surgery and radiation and chemotherapy and does this.''
What ''Alex'' does is sell lots of lemonade to raise money for cancer research.
Two days before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that attacks nerve cells and forms tumors.
On Saturday, more than 1,000 people were at Penn Wynne Elementary School in Lower Merion Township, the school Alex attends on the days she's feeling up to it, for the fifth annual Alex's Lemonade Stand.
What started as a little stand outside the Scott house has become a national phenomenon; there were more than 500 Alex's Lemonade Stands across the country Saturday.
''Every year it gets more incredible,'' said Liz Scott, Alex's mother.
To date, Alex has raised more than $200,000 for cancer research. This year she wants to raise $1 million, and got off to a good start on Saturday, collecting $36,000.
''Plus, we got another $22,000 before the event even started,'' said Liz, adding that money from all the other stands will pour in over the next few weeks.
Although she hasn't been feeling well lately, just finished radiation treatment and is in the midst of a two-week round of chemotherapy, Alex wasn't about to miss the big day.
''She's very excited,'' Patrick said. ''She woke up in the middle of the night and was clapping and talking about it.''
Alex arrived a little late on Saturday and it was like the arrival of a head of state — or Britney Spears.
She sat in her wheelchair at the lemonade stand, nibbling on a pretzel. Alex looked tired and tiny, a little overwhelmed, but determined to be a good host. Later, her mother took her on a tour of the schoolyard, which was filled with people, booths and music.
''I'm just proud of her for being here,'' said Liz. ''It's overwhelming for her, people love her and want to be near her. She's not saying much, but she's very excited.''
Cups of lemonade sold for 50 cents, but many people put tens, twenties, checks for $50 or $100 into three big plastic barrels. Philadelphia 76ers President Billy King bought a cup for $1,000, breaking the record of $500 he set last year.
''About six months ago we were talking about a goal for this year and I thought maybe $500,000,'' Liz said. ''Alex said why not a million. I didn't think it was possible, but now I do.''
After recent appearances on ''Oprah'' and ''The Today Show'' and several newspaper articles, Alex became a national celebrity and hundreds of people signed up to host their own Alex's Lemonade Stand.
''I'm not sure how many there are, every minute it seems like we get an e-mail from someone saying they're having a stand,'' Liz said.
The plan was for Alex to stay for half an hour on Saturday and then go home and rest.
''She'll stay as long as she can,'' Patrick explained. ''And she wants to go around and see everything and have fun.''
Alex stayed an hour and a half.
Everywhere she went, people — and the media — crowded around to say hello and draw strength from Alex.
''She's my hero because she's been sick her entire life and can put that aside and only think about other people,'' said Ligia Richter, who helped organize Saturday's event.
''It's the pureness of Alex's dream, people really respond to that,'' added Alicia Kopp, another organizer.
The past few weeks have been difficult ones for Alex, according to her mother.
Then again, Alex's entire life has been difficult. She has endured 220 nights in hospitals, 600 or more outpatient visits to hospitals, 25 trips to emergency rooms, 40 rounds of chemotherapy, seven radiation treatments, six surgeries and five sets of leg braces.
''The cancer has never gone away and has progressed over the years and has led to some other problems,'' said Liz. ''But Alex holds it together.''
In the midst of all this, Alex has managed to remain a little girl and have some semblance of a normal life, her mother said. Her favorite sport is soccer, she likes to design clothes and eat french fries, and loves school, her dog, Shammy, and (most of the time) her three brothers: Patrick, Eddie, 5, and Joey, 1.
''It may sound weird, but we're all used to all her treatments,'' said Jay Scott, Alex's father. ''It's what she knows, it's what we know. But she has an incredible will to keep going on and she's taught us about not giving up and staying strong.''
Most of the money Alex raises will go to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she is treated. The Scotts moved from Connecticut to Lower Merion in 2000 to be close to the hospital.
According to Dr. Garrett Brodeur, chief of the division of oncology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, many children with neuroblastomas respond well to traditional treatment and their cancer goes into remission.
Alex did not and she has ''been through several phases of experimental approaches,'' said Brodeur, who attended Saturday's event.
The cure rate is 60 percent to 70 percent for children with neuroblastomas and about 80 percent for all types of childhood cancer, Brodeur said.
Summing up Saturday, Patrick said, ''It was great. There was hundreds of people in line all day and they came because it was for a good cause and because it was fun and a lot of people helped.''
As for Alex, Patrick said his sister was resting from her long day.
''She's tired, but not super-tired,'' he said.
For more information on Alex or how to make a donation:
http://www.alexslemonade.com.
