2 Days Until Our Stand!

First and foremost. I have a prayer request and some very sad news to share. Matt's cousin and her husband just lost their newborn daugther due to a heart condition. Out of respect for their privacy I will not share more details, but I do ask that you keep this family in your prayers. We are all just devastated but praying for God's strength and comfort to surround them.

Tomorrow is our big baking day in preparation for our lemonade and baked goods stand. I have a group of wonderful women joining me tomorrow to bake the day away! On the menu are lemon cookies, lemon poppy seed muffins, and lemon bars. All of the shopping for the big day is done! It's amazing how many people I've been able to talk with about our stand as I've been out shopping. Having a cart full of lemonade mix certainly draws some attention! As September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month I tell anyone who will listen about organizations like the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation who are in need of donations to find a cure.

Speaking of money for a cure...have you voted today in the Pepsi Refresh Everything contest?
You can vote ONCE PER DAY by clicking here. Please consider posting this link on your facebook page this month. Remember there is $250,000 at stake that will go directly to the doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering to help children with Neuroblastoma!

Thank you to ALL who have donated online for our Alex's Lemonade Stand. I have also received several amazing donations personally. So far, we have raised close to $300! My goal for this year is $1,000 since we are only having our stand for 1 day versus 3 days last year. I'm SO confident that we can exceed this goal!

Please make plans to come to Oakfield this Monday for the Day in the Park Celebration. There will be a parade starting at 10am and entertainment throughout the day for the whole family. And of course their will be lemonade!

How Can YOU Help?

So! You may be wondering how YOU can help? Perhaps you are thinking, "Yeah Megan. These stories are awful. I feel so bad for cancer kids and their families. But I'm busy with my own kids, my own life, my own issues. I don't have time or the money to help."

I totally get that. I was that person not too long ago! But, could you do something that cost you nothing and only took a few minutes of your time?

Pepsi is giving $250,000 to fund a "great idea." I can't think of a better idea than using the money to fund a treatment for children with Neuroblastoma who have no other options. There are a lot of details that I could explain (actually many of them I couldn't!) But it all boils down to the fact that because only 30% of children with High Risk NB survive, pharmaceutical companies don't see finding alternative, less toxic treamtments for these children as a profitable venture. Therefore, private organizations and research hosptials play a MAJOR role in raising research dollars to attempt new therapies aimed at prolonging and saving lives.

There is a cutting edge treatment that is on the verge of making a huge difference in the lives of the sickest children with NB. Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering (where Brady had his surgery) would directly receive this money to fund this new treatment. I could name children who would directly benefit from this $250,000.

Please go to http://www.refresheverything.com/armswideopenchildhoodcancerfoundation to vote for the Amrs Wide Open Foundation. You can vote once a day from now until September 30th.

You can help...it won't cost you anything...

Please consider reposting this on your blog if you have one, a link on your facebook page, or emailing those you know who would help.

Thank you.