Lily has never said the word: "cancer" and she has never said: "brain tumor."
She won't. She told me she does not like those words. Instead she is okay to talk about heroes and Alex's Lemonade kids. But, those words must taste like poison on her lips.
We've always respected Lily's wishes and we've always checked in before sharing her story. She is happy for us to share it; for us to speak those poisonous words; because for whatever reason she will not or cannot. Lily is just a regular kid. To Lily, she is just like her classmates.
And we are happy for that.
The one thing Lily will say, is Lemonade. She loves her annual Lemonade Stand. And tomorrow, we will share the stand with her entire elementary school. Lily cannot wait for her friends to see the stand; for her friends to taste the lemonade and in her own words: "To share Alex's Lemonade and my own story without saying those words."
That is what makes Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer so amazing.
It is a chance for all of us to talk about cancer without talking about MRIs and surgeries and diagnosis and pathology and chemo and radiation. Sure, we mention these things when we share our story. But, the lemonade is always in our hand to remind us of why we are here:
To drink hope.
It is that hope that Lily shares with her friends each June. It is that hope that Lily sees when her friends fight over pouring lemonade. It is that hope that helps each and everyone one of us wake up in the morning and continue to fight for cures.
Thank you. Thank you for all your donations, support and love. But most of all, thank you for sharing in the hope.
Lily's 4th Annual Stand is June 9, in our front yard. Come and celebrate. Or donate online:
http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/80920
She won't. She told me she does not like those words. Instead she is okay to talk about heroes and Alex's Lemonade kids. But, those words must taste like poison on her lips.
We've always respected Lily's wishes and we've always checked in before sharing her story. She is happy for us to share it; for us to speak those poisonous words; because for whatever reason she will not or cannot. Lily is just a regular kid. To Lily, she is just like her classmates.
And we are happy for that.
The one thing Lily will say, is Lemonade. She loves her annual Lemonade Stand. And tomorrow, we will share the stand with her entire elementary school. Lily cannot wait for her friends to see the stand; for her friends to taste the lemonade and in her own words: "To share Alex's Lemonade and my own story without saying those words."
That is what makes Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer so amazing.
It is a chance for all of us to talk about cancer without talking about MRIs and surgeries and diagnosis and pathology and chemo and radiation. Sure, we mention these things when we share our story. But, the lemonade is always in our hand to remind us of why we are here:
To drink hope.
It is that hope that Lily shares with her friends each June. It is that hope that Lily sees when her friends fight over pouring lemonade. It is that hope that helps each and everyone one of us wake up in the morning and continue to fight for cures.
Thank you. Thank you for all your donations, support and love. But most of all, thank you for sharing in the hope.
Lily's 4th Annual Stand is June 9, in our front yard. Come and celebrate. Or donate online:
http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/80920
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