Alex Scott
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- This article is about the founder of Alex's Lemonade Stand. See William Alexander Scott for the politician.
Alexandra Flynn Scott (January 18, 1996 - August 1, 2004, also known as Alex Scott), of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, was the founder of Alex's Lemonade Stand, which she started to raise money for pediatric cancer research.
Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer, two days before her first birthday. She battled the illness for seven and a half years before passing away in 2004.
When Alex was four, she decided to set up a lemonade stand to raise money for her home hospital in Connecticut. The lemonade stand became an annual tradition, and continued even after the Scott family moved to Pennsylvania to pursue treatment for Alex at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
By 2002, Alex's Lemonade Stand had attracted media attention, and childhood cancer survivors began to hold their own lemonade stands to raise funds for the project. By 2004 Alex's Lemonade Stand was a national campaign, with lemonade stands and events in all fifty US states as well as Canada and France. In 2004 alone, the organization raised over US $700,000. Alex and her family were featured on Oprah Winfrey's television program, The John Walsh Show and The Today Show, among others. Alex and her parents also wrote a children's picture book, Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand.
Alex's legacy lives on in the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. In 2005, the Foundation raised over four million dollars for childhood cancer research.
CHOP honored Alex with the creation of the Alex Scott Day Hospital. The Philadelphia 76ers renamed their Hometown Hero award "76ers Hometown Hero: In the Spirit of Alex Scott Award" in her memory. Volvo for Life has established the Alexandra Scott Butterfly Award, which is given to a young person who has demonstrated exceptional courage and determination in helping others.
Alex's parents regularly speak about Alex and their experiences at events, conventions, and seminars.
