Join the Mighty Fight Against Childhood Cancer with the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and Auntie Anne’s

My kids get sick from time to time. The sniffles, the middle of the night tummy aches, fevers, colds and coughs, it’s all part of parenthood. One of my little guys woke up the other night crying only to subsequently throw up all over the bed and floor. We never want to see our children suffer and it is hard when there’s not really much that we can do to ease their pain. However, as horrid as all of these nasty little sick bugs may be, I am actually quite thankful for them. You see, while it may be true that the kids get sick every now and then, they do get better. Unfortunately, for many, that is not always the case.

Just the other day, I read an update on social media from a friend of mine. Her son has been sick, very sick, for many years now and they just received word from doctors that, instead of getting better, his illness is worsening. His diagnosis – cancer. A disease that claims the life of many adults is also one that jumps the bounds and steals the normalcy of childhood away from one too many kids around the globe. Cancer has no limits and knows no boundaries, even when it comes to our precious children. Knowing and hoping and wishing for this particular little boy’s health and wellness has made pediatric cancer a personal one for me and I’ve been an avid supporter of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for quite some time.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF for short), well, where have you been?

This incredible foundation has been making waves in the name of childhood cancer since the turn of the century. On the back of an adorable 4-year-old with a dream, the age-old front yard lemonade stand took on new meaning. Alex Scott, though suffering through her own cancer diagnosis, was a determined little girl that did exactly what it is we tell our children to do on a daily basis – if you set your mind on something, you can achieve anything. And achieve she did.

After setting up her first lemonade stand with the goal of giving money to doctors thus allowing them to help other children just as they helped her, the idea and foundation took off. This stand turned into a yearly one and, from there, spread like wildfire with folks from all over the world then holding their own lemonade stands and donation the proceeds to little Alex and her cause. To date, more than $75 million has been raised and over 375 research projects funded with help and awareness from Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Further supporting Alex and her legacy of hope, ALSF recently partnered with Auntie Anne’s to doubly take on the Mighty Fight.

After all, taking on cancer of any type is a difficult task but doing so as a child requires superhero-like powers. And that, well, that is what I’m here for. As much as I wish I possessed my own super capabilities, unfortunately, snapping my fingers and wishing for a cure doesn’t quite work as well as I’d hope. I do, however, have a voice (or a computer keyboard in this case). And, with that, I can share this with you.

Meet Victoria.

At only 4-years-old, this bright-eyed beauty and feisty little Texan has been through more than her fair share of life’s chaos. After receiving a diagnosis of AML (acute myeloid leukemia) at just six months old, her epic battle began.

“My tiny little baby that was barely learning how to sit up on her own had cancer.”
– Heather Hernandez, Victoria’s mom

While most babies her age were learning how to sit, crawl, talk, and walk within the comfort of their own homes, Victoria reached all of her baby milestones from her hospital room. There, while undergoing cancer treatment, she faced many more challenges than one could even imagine. Yet, with her Mini but Mighty spirit, she exceeded everyone’s expectations and continues to do so now.

I am happy to be able to tell you that Victoria is now in remission and finally gets to enjoy her childhood as the sweet, outgoing, and Mighty little girl that she is. Though they’ve finally received good news in her remission status from the oncologist, Victoria’s mother wants to help families, like her own, who are battling childhood cancer.

“It may seem long and never ending but, if you just take one day at a time, you will make it through. You are not alone in this battle. You must accept help from others.”
– Heather Hernandez, Victoria’s mother

Accepting help isn’t always the easiest thing to do but, when push comes to shove and a situation quite literally means the difference between life or death, help shouldn’t have to be sought out. Instead, it should pour in from all directions. That is what the mission behind Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is all about.

When a child is ill, parents shouldn’t have to stress over all things less important whether that be finances, how they’ll get to the next appointment, or even a place to stay during their child’s treatment. The only thing that should be on a parent’s mind is their child. They should be able to be right there, hand-in-hand, snuggling with their child in those otherwise horrible hospital beds, fighting alongside these kids every step of the way, discussing treatment options with doctors on a personal level, and working together to find a cure. It is a Mighty Fight for sure but it is also very doable… when done together.

Alongside Auntie Anne’s, ALSF, and four of my blogger friends, we are working together to support Victoria, this week’s Mini But Mighty Hero. Little Victoria is one of many. We CAN help them all but, once again, there’s that one little word that pops up because this is something that we must do TOGETHER. So join me. Join us. Join Victoria. Join the Mighty Fight.

From now through September 15^th, you can join us in the fight against childhood cancer and give back to help these Mini heroes in the fight of their lives. By donating to the Auntie Anne’s Mighty Fight campaign via Tilt, you’re helping the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation fund potentially life-saving cancer research. Take a look at the different ways that your donation could be put to use:

• $5 – Supports Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation one cup at a time
• $15 – Provides a gas card to help a family drive to a hospital for treatment
• $25 – Funds a half hour of childhood cancer research
• $50 – Funds one hour of childhood cancer research
• $100 – Enables a family to reside at a nearby hotel so they can stay close to their child receiving treatment
• $400 – Funds one day of childhood cancer research

With a goal of $35,000, together we are hoping to be able to fund a total of seven hundred – Yes! 700! – hours of childhood cancer research! For each and every donation received, Auntie Anne’s will email all donors a $1 off coupon!

Now, I’m sure that you’re all wondering what Auntie Anne’s has to do with childhood cancer and how the partnership with ALSF came about, right? Well, for me, they are known as the most incredible mall food store. I absolutely love their classic buttered and salted pretzels while the mister is a fan of the cinnamon sugar option. The kids, however, have their own favorite. Any guesses? The Mini But Mighty option of course!

The duo initially partnered together back in 2011 and have been helping families fight the Mighty Fight against childhood cancer ever since. Over the past three years, they’ve raised more than one million dollars for the fight and hope to add to that total once again this summer. Through this campaign, a new Mini But Mighty Hero will be featured each week and you can read up on even more Childhood Cancer Heroes.

Though they may be mighty, none of these little ones deserve to fight this battle much less do it alone. It is time to come together in support of these children and their struggle. Whether you’re standing in support little Victoria, stepping up on behalf of ALSF founder Alex Scott, or have your own mini hero in your life, it’s time that we fight for them.

Perhaps the next time you find yourself standing in line for your morning cup of coffee, you’ll stop and consider giving it up to, instead, donate that $5 to help find a cure for childhood cancer. Having a lucky day and find a $20 on the ground? Share the luck and donate. Your donation may very well end up meaning the lucky break in the search for a cure.

No donation is too small.

Don’t have anything to give? How about a simple click? For every share of the Mighty Fight campaign, Auntie Anne’s will donate $0.25 (the cost of a cup of lemonade!) towards childhood cancer research. You can find the “Share” button at the top right of the campaign page.

Connect:
For more information or to make a donation, please visit the Join the Mighty Fight campaign page, here. Also, be sure to keep up with, both, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and Auntie Anne’s via their social media pages to stay up to date on all of the latest news, ways you can help, and more!

• Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
• Auntie Anne’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

Now, to share a little something with you…

While I’m quite fond of doing good just for the sake of doing good, I’m equally as fond of giving back and enticing you to do the same. With that being said, I’d like to offer up a quick prize – direct from me to you – for one lucky reader!

THE GIVEAWAY:
One (1) winner will receive a coupon good for one free Auntie Anne’s pretzel of your choice.

Giveaway open to US residents only. Ends 8/18/14.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No purchase necessary. Open to residents of US only. Giveaway ends August 18th, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. (PST). ONE ENTRANT PER HOUSEHOLD/IP Address! I check all entries – cheating will not be tolerated. Winner will be notified via email and needs to reply within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen. Please make sure you check your spam folder – I will not be responsible if you did not receive winning email notification. Winners name(s) will be displayed on the post, and will also be posted on Winners List shortly after drawing has occurred. Winners will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter. Screenshots of winners available by request. Prize will be shipped directly from sponsor or their PR Agency unless otherwise noted. Eighty MPH Mom is not responsible for prizes lost in transit, although every attempt will be made for prize delivery.

**By entering this giveaway, you confirm that you have read and agree to my giveaway rules. Sponsor reserves the right to limit one prize per person/household (of this item/prize pack). Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of prize {though it is usually much sooner}. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability. Odds of winning: The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. All prizes will be awarded. Void where prohibited by law.

 

*Randi was not compensated for this post. This feature is solely in her support of this charitable organization and its current campaign. As a thanks for her participation, a donation was made in her name to the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. All opinions are those of the reviewer only.