Olivia Steffensmeyer raises cash for youngsters’s most cancers charity ALSF
Rain did not cease an 8-year-old woman from internet hosting a lemonade stand for a kids’s most cancers charity on Saturday.
Olivia Steffensmeier of West Des Moines and her household hosted a lemonade stand on the Mills Civic Parkway ALDI on Saturday to assist increase cash for pediatric most cancers as a part of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Basis (ALSF) for pediatric most cancers.
Olivia was identified with rhabdomyosarcoma, a comfortable tissue most cancers, simply someday earlier than her sixth birthday in 2021. It began as an enlarged lymph node and was considered a sinus or ear an infection, however it was quickly found to be one thing. extra.
“The whole lot at first went in a short time as soon as they came upon it was a mass and never an an infection,” Hayley Steffensmeier stated. “In complete, she obtained 66 weeks of chemotherapy, and through that, she obtained 20 days of radiotherapy as we stayed at Mayo, so the remedy was actually intense.”
Olivia was declared cancer-free and rang the bell at Clean Youngsters’s Hospital in January 2023.
“Most cancers is a little bit scary at first, however the docs and nurses had been my favourite half, and I realized quite a bit about serving to different children with most cancers,” Olivia stated.
Since her prognosis, Olivia has hosted ASLF’s lemonade stands. This would be the fourth time she and her household have arrange store at ALDI on Mills Civic Parkway, the place her grandfather works as a supervisor.
“We all know precisely what we’re doing in relation to promoting lemonade,” Hayley Steffensmeier stated.
ALDI, an ASLF supporter, is internet hosting a lemonade fundraiser. They’ve been companions for six years, beginning in 2018, and have donated $1 million yearly. Because the begin of the partnership, ALDI has donated $6 million and goals to donate a complete of $10 million by the top of 2027.
“ALDI desires to indicate up and assist our communities in many alternative methods,” stated Jason Schultz, ALDI’s Nationwide Sustainability Director. “It is a part of our dedication to assist assist nationwide, regional and native initiatives that make significant variations in kids’s well being and well-being.”
ALDI donated a further US$10,000 to ALSF within the household’s title.
What’s Alex’s Lemonade Stand?
It began when Alexandra Scott, 4 years previous on the time, needed to arrange a lemonade stand. She needed to boost cash to “discover a remedy” for most cancers. She was identified simply after her first birthday. It raised $2,000 on its first day.
By 2004, it had reached its purpose of elevating $1 million. She died later that 12 months on the age of 8.
Alex’s mother and father continued the lemonade stand and created the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Basis in 2005. Since then, in accordance with ASLF websiteOver $300 million has been raised and has change into the biggest childhood most cancers charity in america
ASLF has additionally funded greater than 1,500 analysis initiatives in… Nearly 150 institutions Throughout North America and Europe, it has supported practically 30,000 households by key packages equivalent to Journey For Care, serving to cowl prices so households can entry the therapies their kids want.
This 12 months marks the twentieth anniversary of Alex’s passing. June is named “Lemonade Days” by the group, and hosts most of its lemonade fundraisers through the month.
“Doing lemonade stands with ALSF is essential to me as a result of I wish to assist increase cash to discover a remedy for childhood most cancers and assist kids and households in hospitals with most cancers,” Olivia stated.
Kyle Werner is the Register’s reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
