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▼ Child Cancer Patients Make Lemonade From ‘Lemons’ in Lives
- Category:Event
Inspired by an American girl who wanted to make life sweeter for others in her condition, students and others are selling lemonade to help children suffering from tumors.
The campaign, started by a 4-year-old cancer patient 18 years ago to raise donations through sales of homemade lemonade to support other kids with the same condition, is spreading across Japan.
In mid-August, an open summer program themed on childhood cancer was held at the St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward. It was organized by the nonprofit group CancerNet Japan.
“The treatments were painful, and I was obsessed by the thought of ‘why me?’ but I have overcome the difficulties and now study pharmacy,” said Aoi Kato, an 18-year-old college student, in front of 50 children ranging in age from 6 to 18, speaking of the fight against blood cancer.
Kato, who was diagnosed with carcinoma in his first year of junior high school, underwent radiation therapy and anticancer drug treatments before having a bone marrow transplant.
After suffering through the loss of hair and the fear of not waking up every time he went to sleep, Kato has finished the 18-month treatment and he has regained his health.
“With the help of my family and medical staff, I could recover from my condition,” Kato said. “I would like you to provide assistance to promote research and understanding of the disease.”
Childhood cancer is tumors in children younger than 15 and includes not only leukemia, cerebral tumors and lymphoma, but also Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma and other types of carcinoma that adult patients rarely develop.
While 2,000 to 2,500 children are diagnosed as having the condition annually, 15 hub hospitals and 100 other medical centers across the nation offer treatment. The advancement of therapy, such as combining multiple kinds of anticancer agents, has enabled 70 to 80 percent of patients to recover from childhood cancer.
Atsushi Manabe, a pediatrician at the hospital, also spoke of difficulties facing childhood cancer therapies and noted that 20 million yen ($179,450) is needed annually for research.
Following the speech, Kato and participants made lemonade together and called on their parents to make donations.
Miyu Sato, 7, a second-year elementary student from Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, said her grandmother died of cancer four years ago.
“I may also develop cancer so I want to help friends facing hardships,” Miyu said.
The campaign, known as the Lemonade Stand, was initiated in 2000 by Alexandra Scott, often referred to mononymously as Alex. She was suffering from childhood cancer and hoped to help all children with the same disease.
Working with her parents and brothers, Alex made and sold lemonade from the family garage to call for contributions.
While Alex loved the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” her way of living and the proverb helped her gain people’s sympathy and spread the campaign across the nation.
By the time she died at age 8 in 2004, a total of 75.6 million yen had been collected. Even after Alex’s death, the campaign has been spreading throughout the world.
Since 2009 in Japan, English education material for first-year junior high school students and an authorized textbook for first-year senior high school students feature Alex’s story.
LEMONADE STAND AT SCHOOL FESTIVAL
Japanese groups of childhood cancer patients and organizations supporting them have started the Lemonade Stand activity.
One such group, the Success nonprofit organization, which offers assistance for cancer patients and research on cancer treatment, started sending fliers and posters detailing Alex’s activity free of charge to those who requested them in 2007.
Success receives 70 requests a year and has solicited a total of 8 million yen in donations.
CancerNet Japan joined the Lemonade Stand campaign in 2013, by holding open classes mainly during summer to explain about childhood cancer, its activities and how to make and sell lemonade.
In 2017, 120 inquiries came in from across Japan. A growing number of children who learned about Alex in their textbooks have also contacted CancerNet Japan.
Nanae Sugano, 16, a second-year senior high school student in Tokyo, participated in a CancerNet Japan program to stage the Lemonade Stand activity at the school festival next year.
“I want to share the courage to work positively for someone with a strong will even in times of hardship,” she said.
For more details on the campaign, contact CancerNet Japan (http://www.lemonadestand.jp/) or Success (http://nposuccess.jp/lp/). Their websites are in Japanese only.
For English speakers, the site of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (https://www.alexslemonade.org/) will be helpful.
The campaign, started by a 4-year-old cancer patient 18 years ago to raise donations through sales of homemade lemonade to support other kids with the same condition, is spreading across Japan.
In mid-August, an open summer program themed on childhood cancer was held at the St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward. It was organized by the nonprofit group CancerNet Japan.
“The treatments were painful, and I was obsessed by the thought of ‘why me?’ but I have overcome the difficulties and now study pharmacy,” said Aoi Kato, an 18-year-old college student, in front of 50 children ranging in age from 6 to 18, speaking of the fight against blood cancer.
Kato, who was diagnosed with carcinoma in his first year of junior high school, underwent radiation therapy and anticancer drug treatments before having a bone marrow transplant.
After suffering through the loss of hair and the fear of not waking up every time he went to sleep, Kato has finished the 18-month treatment and he has regained his health.
“With the help of my family and medical staff, I could recover from my condition,” Kato said. “I would like you to provide assistance to promote research and understanding of the disease.”
Childhood cancer is tumors in children younger than 15 and includes not only leukemia, cerebral tumors and lymphoma, but also Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma and other types of carcinoma that adult patients rarely develop.
While 2,000 to 2,500 children are diagnosed as having the condition annually, 15 hub hospitals and 100 other medical centers across the nation offer treatment. The advancement of therapy, such as combining multiple kinds of anticancer agents, has enabled 70 to 80 percent of patients to recover from childhood cancer.
Atsushi Manabe, a pediatrician at the hospital, also spoke of difficulties facing childhood cancer therapies and noted that 20 million yen ($179,450) is needed annually for research.
Following the speech, Kato and participants made lemonade together and called on their parents to make donations.
Miyu Sato, 7, a second-year elementary student from Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, said her grandmother died of cancer four years ago.
“I may also develop cancer so I want to help friends facing hardships,” Miyu said.
The campaign, known as the Lemonade Stand, was initiated in 2000 by Alexandra Scott, often referred to mononymously as Alex. She was suffering from childhood cancer and hoped to help all children with the same disease.
Working with her parents and brothers, Alex made and sold lemonade from the family garage to call for contributions.
While Alex loved the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” her way of living and the proverb helped her gain people’s sympathy and spread the campaign across the nation.
By the time she died at age 8 in 2004, a total of 75.6 million yen had been collected. Even after Alex’s death, the campaign has been spreading throughout the world.
Since 2009 in Japan, English education material for first-year junior high school students and an authorized textbook for first-year senior high school students feature Alex’s story.
LEMONADE STAND AT SCHOOL FESTIVAL
Japanese groups of childhood cancer patients and organizations supporting them have started the Lemonade Stand activity.
One such group, the Success nonprofit organization, which offers assistance for cancer patients and research on cancer treatment, started sending fliers and posters detailing Alex’s activity free of charge to those who requested them in 2007.
Success receives 70 requests a year and has solicited a total of 8 million yen in donations.
CancerNet Japan joined the Lemonade Stand campaign in 2013, by holding open classes mainly during summer to explain about childhood cancer, its activities and how to make and sell lemonade.
In 2017, 120 inquiries came in from across Japan. A growing number of children who learned about Alex in their textbooks have also contacted CancerNet Japan.
Nanae Sugano, 16, a second-year senior high school student in Tokyo, participated in a CancerNet Japan program to stage the Lemonade Stand activity at the school festival next year.
“I want to share the courage to work positively for someone with a strong will even in times of hardship,” she said.
For more details on the campaign, contact CancerNet Japan (http://www.lemonadestand.jp/) or Success (http://nposuccess.jp/lp/). Their websites are in Japanese only.
For English speakers, the site of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (https://www.alexslemonade.org/) will be helpful.
- September 17, 2018
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