Latest news with #AlexsLemonadeStand
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation funding research for newborn screening for genetic predisposition to cancer
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation aims to cure the incurable, and its Crazy 8 Initiative supports research into the most challenging problems in childhood cancers. This year, two major projects could be game changers and even lifesavers. You probably remember Cole Fitzgerald's smile, a friend of ours at CBS Philadelphia and a cancer hero of the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation who passed away in 2023. Fitzgerald had neuroblastoma as a child and was cancer-free for 15 years when he was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatoblastoma. His parents say they learned during his final fight that he had a genetic predisposition to cancer. "That's when they discovered that he had [Li-Fraumeni syndrome], which meant that one of us potentially passed it on to him," Karen Fitzgerald said. "It is a genetic predisposition where a particular gene called the TP53, which is in normal DNA, is a tumor suppressor. And in people that have LFS that tumor suppressor does not function." "Probably around 10% of children develop cancer because they have a genetic risk for cancer," said Dr. Lisa Diller, a pediatric oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital. "Well, there are some genes that we can find in children that tell us that a child is at risk for cancer," Diller said, "and then we can do screening and find it early. And maybe use very minimal therapy to cure that child so they don't need chemotherapy, they don't need radiation, or we increase their chance of being cured." The testing would be part of routine heel stick blood tests on newborns. "We pick up children at risk for cystic fibrosis and for a variety of rare genetic disorders," Dr. Sharon Plon, the chief of the cancer genetics clinic at Texas Children's Hospital, said. "And we're able to treat them or do surveillance. But we've never done that for cancer." If a genetic risk of cancer is found, children would be screened regularly through childhood and into adulthood. "Cole would have had a different level of surveillance after his first incident rate of cancer," Karen Fitzgerald said. "When you're getting yearly MRIs of the brain and the body and all the additional blood testing as well." Although Karen Fitzgerald learned that she and other family members also have the genetic predisposition, she and her husband considered it a last gift from Cole. Another group of researchers is working on vaccines. The Crazy 8 Initiative allows researchers to take risks — risks that are necessary to find treatments, cures, and hopefully, vaccinations. "I don't think this would be possible to get funded through any other traditional mechanism that I've heard of," Dr. David Malkin with the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto said. "The Alex's Crazy 8 grant is going to get us to the point that this is actually can be something that can be something that can be in clinical trials in children." "It's too late for Cole, but to see these grants and what they're doing and the possibility to save others that have the same predisposition," Bill Fitzgerald said. "He would be thrilled, delighted," Karen Fitzgerald. "He would say, let's go."
CBS News
5 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation program helping children with cancer and their families
They thought they had more time, but then their brother Cole Fitzgerald relapsed long after his first battle with cancer. "He never really believed in a future where he would get sick again," Maggie Fitzgerald said. "Fifteen years later, we faced it again with the outcome that no one would ever want." Maeve Fitzgerald is Cole's twin. Maggie is their older sister. "Having a sibling go through cancer treatment and ultimately into survivorship can be a very lonely and isolating experience," Maggie said. "It takes an incredible mental and emotional toll on someone as well, no matter how old they are." Lily Adkins is a big fan of the Fitzgeralds. She writes Cole's name on her arm when she competes. She had her own battle with cancer and its lasting effects. Her sister and brother, Chloe and Nick, think she is a hero. But Lily's journey has been hard on them too. "It's not like they get medicine, they get better," Nick said. "She's had to go through a lot of stuff. She's had to get surgery. Rushed to the hospital. It's really scary." It's for siblings like Lily's that Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation started the SuperSibs program to offer support for the brothers and sisters who are often confused and sad about their sibling's cancer. Raegan's sister, Cassidy, had a Wilms' tumor and relapsed. "When she first got diagnosed, I was 2 going on 3 and then when she got it the second time, I was about 5," Raegan said. "I couldn't quite grasp the concept of what was happening. I just knew she was sick." Colin is a three-time leukemia survivor. His mom says it's been tough on his younger brother Owen. "He's seen his brother go through it since he was 2," Allison Lyons said. Owen has struggled with anxiety. In addition to therapy, the SuperSibs program has helped him cope. "There's very few programs that are actually just for the siblings," Lyons said. "Most things are just focusing on the kid who's actually going through treatment." The brothers also hold lemonade stands. "The lemonade stands have definitely given them an outlet to feel like they were doing something about Colin's cancer that was coming from them," Lyons said. That seems to be a theme for SuperSibs. "I like the idea of helping other kids because if a child is cured from cancer, the patient, than the siblings is also cured from that trauma," Chloe Adkins said. Maeve and Maggie say Cole's life and dedication to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation are their inspiration. "We have a job to do now, and we got to keep the mission going because there are still kids who are at risk just as much as Cole was and there's a cure to be found," Maggie said. "He didn't turn away from the cause when he was in the clear, so why would we?" Maeve said.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Andy's Army 2025: Lemonade stand in Sewell raises money for a cure for cancer
SEWELL, N.J. - Andy's Army set up a lemonade stand in Sewell, New Jersey to raise money for a cure for cancer. What we know On Sudnay, Andy Fee and his family set up the lemonade stand in partnership with the well-known Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Andy was diagnosed with neuroblastoma four and a half years ago at the age of nine-months-old. Andy's father, Mike Fee, described that moment, saying, "It was an absolute whirlwind, you never think it would happen to you. Thankfully, we are in Philadelphia we have Children's Hospital of Philadelphia right in our backyard so, that was our first stop, to go to CHOP to understand what our treatment options were, then work out a plan and fight it as hard as we can". Mike said the fight wasn't easy, especially when doctors found an additional condition after Andy's initial diagnosis. "He had a secondary condition called Opsoclonus-Myoclonus-Ataxia Syndrome (OMAS) which basically your immune system attacks your nervous system so he lost the ability to walk, crawl, and talk. All the things Andy is now able to do, and in order to give back, he is selling lemonade and raffle tickets to try and support those like him. "Being local in the area we always heard about Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, we always knew about Alex, this is where we wanted to put our effort into helping other kids with cancer and hopefully find a cure one day for all cancers," said Mike. The family has a set a goal to raise $5,000. If you would like to donate online, you can at
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Turning lemons into hope at lemonade stand in Scranton
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A Pittston woman is turning lemons into hope. Lily Struzzieri set up a lemonade stand inside the Marketplace at Steamtown. Her stand is part of a national effort with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to raise money for childhood cancer research and awareness. Struzzieri brought in around $250 and says she's just getting started. She's serving up sweet drinks with an even sweeter goal: making a difference right here in her community. Scranton church closes after over 100 years of service 'I really enjoy fundraising. It's really important to me to do that, so I'm just really excited to see how much money we can raise,' Pittston resident Lily Dtruzzieri said. 'It's great to see young people, you know, I mean I want wanna be a part of this. You know, I think our area here goes above and beyond, and any form of cancer, any form of cancer, cancer research,' Marsha Junz from Dunmore told 28/22 News. Struzzieri says she planned to keep pouring until the last cup, noting that this weekend is not the only time she plans to do her cups for a cause. She plans to sell lemonade at Nay Aug Park on July 5, weather permitting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local company to raise money with lemonade stand
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — The Warren company that invented the design on the fair lemonade cups is going to be having a lemonade stand of its own. June 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Berk Enterprises on Thomas Road Southeast will have a lemonade stand, with the proceeds going to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to raise money for childhood cancer. Molnar's concessions will also be serving food from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and that's when they're encouraging people to come. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
