Alexandra Scott/Alexandra Scott: A Young Hero

Alexandra Scott: A Young Hero

Alex with her pitcherwww.alexslemonadestand.org

Curing cancer, one cup at a time, was the goal of a small determined four-year-old girl. Most people would not be able to physically help others if they had cancer. Yet Alexandra Scott, better known as Alex, did just that. She was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, formed in the adrenal glands, at the age of four yet wanted to help scientists to find a way to cure cancer. She started the organization Alex’s Lemonade Stand, which took action that helped many other kids diagnosed with cancer. When money began coming in from the lemonade stands, she gave all of it to local hospitals to support the friends she made while in the hospital. Fortunately, her organization still exists and still works toward the goal to cure cancer through the money of lemonade stands. Unfortunately, Alex passed away at the age of eight, leaving her supporters in shock. Many people were inspired by her actions and set up lemonade stands themselves afterward. There are many types of heroes; a person who has leadership, kindness, and ambition should be considered a hero. A person can’t be a hero when he or she doesn´t have leadership. For example, Martin Luther King showed leadership through his speeches about equality. Kindness is a requirement because it shows the passion to help out others. If a hero is angry, then he or she can’t be nice through his or her actions. A hero must possess a goal in life. Without such a goal in life, there is no purpose for the hero to do good. A hero must possess these three components as his or her foundation for success. Alexandra Scott deserves to be a hero because she showed leadership, demonstrated acts of kindness, and lived a life with a goal to succeed.

Alex with her lemonade standnbcnews.comAt a young age, Alexandra Scott took action to help, even though it may not have sounded effective, without waiting to be asked. She showed leadership by setting up lemonade stands by herself to donate to the hospitals. At four years old, Alex had the determination to help people with cancer lying in hospitals: “Just after her fourth birthday, and after many stays in the hospital, Alex told her parents that she wanted to have a lemonade stand in her front yard to raise money to give to doctors so that they could find a cure for cancer”(Lusted). A hero shows determination and confidence, leading to leadership. A four-year-old who wants to raise money and find a cure for a disease is just incredible. People wouldn't believe a person so young would say those words. Alexandra led the organization, which is not common for toddlers to do. Alex led her supporters to help find a cure for cancer, which is also not common for toddlers to do. She was one of the first children to take the initiative to help others. Alex understood what it was like for others, struggling in hospitals with little treatment for cancer. She shows leadership because she followed her goal and others followed her afterward. She should be considered a hero by her actions too. Alex, showed her determination that not only she can do it, many others could: “Alex, she said, was a great example because her determination showed students that even a child who was critically ill could still reach out and help others. If she could do it, so could they” (Hurst). She set an example to others, inspiring others to do good as well. Alex helped others to show that not only she could do it, but also everybody else could. By showing others that everybody else followed her, shows a sign of leadership. Alex’s inspiration is more impactful mostly because of her age. Her efforts had a huge impact on others because she was so young. She couldn't talk fluently; her actions and her determination were the parts that made her a hero. She’s a hero because she inspired others; the initiative she took earns her the title of a hero and personality through leadership.

Alexandra Scott’s willingness to help others demonstrates kindness and compassion. The first piece of her goal that Alex wanted to accomplish was to aid others: “She wanted to give the money to doctors to allow them to 'help other kids, like they helped me”’ (“Meet our Founder: Alexandra Scott”). Cancer is a challenging disease to overcome, especially considering she was a young infant still four years old. She gave the money that she herself was supposed to get and also gave it to others with full of kindness and compassion. She had the same diseases that everybody else had with her. Also, she risked her life to get a chance, at least one, to aid others with cancer: “...she had raised more than $1 million to help find a cure for the disease that took her life”(“Meet our Founder: Alexandra Scott”). The money that Alex earned was not her profit. It was all for cancer research funds. Alex shows the true compassion and kindness of giving such amount of money to places like the hospitals to treat others with cancer better with better knowledge of cancer. Currently, her organization has earned $25 million, a ton of money; if it were another person who didn't know about the organization, the person would most likely keep the money as profit.  Alex didn't. When Alex passed away, there was no money left behind. All of it was sent to cancer research organizations. Collecting more than one million dollars, earning it one cup at a time is a painful, time-killing experience but an enjoyable experience with heart. Many lemonade stands can't earn more than at least $500 in one day, that would be a miracle if so did. But she earned thousands and thousands every day, money rushing into her pocket. But she wouldn't keep it and act as a millionaire but would give it away with a kind heart. Alex is a hero because she showed the acts of kindness through compassion; she risked her life to help aid others.

Alex's determined eyesyoutube.comAlex didn't live a life just to stay alive in the beds of the hospitals; she had a goal to accomplish, to give as much money as she can to charity and to help others with their life who had cancer. She showed ambition. Alex first had a goal to raise $2,000 but, “...Alex's Lemonade Stand has raised $25 million for cancer research”(Lusted). She showed fantastic work ethic by selling lemonade through her business. She showed the acts of kindness by giving to charity. Through her hard efforts, she reached past her goal and funded money for cancer research. Helping others was Alex’s first priority: “She may not know the expression ‘When life hands you lemons, make lemonade,' but that's just what seven-year-old Alex Scott has done. For the past three years, she has raised funds for cancer research by selling lemonade from a stand in her front yard. She has also bravely lived the wisdom of the saying”(The 2003 Heroes). Alex’s mission continues even after her death since it is still an ongoing organization. She showed these ideal characteristics of kindness and compassion even as a toddler which shows that age doesn't matter; people just need to go and achieve their dreams by hard work. Alex is an extraordinary child who shot for the stars and achieved so much more. Because of Alex's determination, doctors have found better ways and more solutions to curing cancer. Her hard work is shown into this organization that still lives on today. 

Alex's picture before she passed awaywww.alexslemonadestand.orgKnowing that Alex is a hero to the world, she demonstrated leadership, kindness, and ambition. A hero doesn't have to be someone who saved somebody from a train crash. A hero can be anybody that contains the characteristics of leadership, kindness and compassion, and ambition.  She showed leadership by setting up lemonade stands; her willingness to help others demonstrated kindness and compassion by donating money to charity and determination to help the sick. Because of her efforts, many people were inspired when they saw her on the news; Maddy, a person who had the similar conditions as Alex, was delighted to hear Alex’s story: “Maddy was diagnosed with the same kind of cancer as Alex, but she has been a seven-year survivor of the disease. Maddy sells her lemonade for $1 a cup and says, ‘If it wasn't for Alex's Lemonade Stand, I wouldn't be here today"’(Lusted). Maddy was fascinated to hear that a person would put such effort to help people with cancer. She followed Alex’s example by setting up her own lemonade stand to donate to Alex’s organization. Alex has inspired many other people around the globe, making herself a person to remember. Alexandra inspired and encouraged me to donate funds to cancer research programs. She made me wonder about cancer and the devastating effects behind it. She inspired me to set up lemonade stands and make me donate too. That goes for everybody. Everybody can contribute to this. People can participate by setting up their lemonade stands, following Alex’s tradition, and donate to cancer research programs. Supporting others was Alex’s mindset. Donating money one cup at a time, was the goal of Alex’s dream.

Works Cited

Hurst, Marianne D. "Phila. Child's Cancer Battle Inspires Giving." Education Week, 8 Sept. 2004, p. 17. Student Resources in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A171025190/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=afbeefbc. Accessed 30 Jan. 2018.

Lusted, Marcia Amidon. "Curing cancer: one cup at a time." Faces: People, Places, and Cultures, Oct. 2009, p. 18+. Student Resources in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A219899886/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=a32b0a9a. Accessed 31 Jan. 2018.

“Meet Our Founder: Alexandra Scott.” Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, 27 June 2017, www.alexslemonade.org/about/meet-alex.          

The 2003 Heroes for Health Awards. Courage. Compassion. Acts of extraordinary caring." Good Housekeeping, Dec. 2003, p. 66+. Student Resources in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A110737473/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=927b2515. Accessed 30 Jan. 2018.