Who You’re Helping When You Support ALSF
It’s lemonade season! We’re excited to have officially kicked off our 2018 fundraising efforts for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which means you’ll begin seeing information around school about special events and activities that you and your children can get involved with to help in the fight against childhood cancer. (Get a high-level look at what we have in store here.)
To commensurate our 20th year in business, we’re setting our 2018 goal at $120,000 – and we need your help to get there!
Through donations like these, ALSF funds programs to advance the pace of innovative research and improve the quality of life and care for children battling cancer and their families.
The bravery and strength of these children is incredible … and their stories are touching.
Spend a few minutes reading these “hero” stories to get to know some of the real children you’re helping when you support ALSF, and let’s squeeze together to make a difference!
Hana Jurgens
If a child complains about sharp pain in their side, most parents might assume they bumped themselves on a corner, maybe got into some roughhousing with a sibling or like Hana’s family, think they had appendicitis. It’s almost impossible to fathom the cause being childhood cancer.
Unfortunately, that was the case for Hana, a sweet, joyous and active 5-year-old who was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumor on both her kidneys in June.
Her family was taken aback by the diagnosis and unsure of Hana’s future. Their doctors at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin – Milwaukee arranged a treatment schedule this summer with 12 weeks of chemotherapy before an eventual surgery.
During those chemotherapy sessions, not a visit went by without her entire family showing up in support.
“We’ve all been trying to go to her appointments, which have only been once a week, but we’ve all gone to support Hana,” said her mother Carrie.
Their familial bond has helped them persevere through this difficult time. They know a step-by-step approach can help them conquer Hana’s cancer.
“The oncologist said you just have to take it day-by-day, so I think that’s kind of what we’ve been doing so it doesn’t become too overwhelming,” said Carrie. “Once we finish this step, then we move onto the next step and think about that.” Continue reading Hana’s story.
Connor Bowden
Connor is a sweet one year old who has remained happy through his journey of kicking cancer to the curb. He likes to play with his toys, loves getting into things and is his family’s hero.
At Connor’s 6 month well check-up, he was right on time with all his developmental milestones and learning how to crawl. Two weeks later, Connor suddenly stopped using his left side. The pediatrician sent Connor to the ER. A CT scan revealed a large mass on the right side of his brain. Connor was sent to a different hospital for MRI’s. His parents chose to get a second opinion and ended up in Memphis for surgery. Surgery to remove the tumor lasted for hours.
Final pathology of the tumor revealed that it was a grade III anaplastic ependymoma.
Post-surgery, Connor began treatment at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, where he had four months of chemotherapy followed by proton bean radiation in the fall of 2015. Connor’s fight is not over—he has continuous scans and continues rehabilitation for left-sided weakness. Connor is a fighter and can now crawl again, pull himself up and is learning to walk. Continue reading Connor’s story.
To learn more about how and who you’re helping when you support ALSF, visit www.alexslemonade.org/.
