I stood there, my legs were tired, my feet hurt, I was sure I had a
sunburn, and all I really wanted to do was sit down. But I still had about an hour and a half to
go. You see, on Saturday, July 28th,
I volunteered to help out at Alex’s Lemonade Stand. It’s a charity drive that donates 100% of the
money collected from lemonade sales to help fund researching a cure for
pediatric cancer. The mother of my
daughter’s friend has been hosting a local chapter for several years now on the
corner right by her house in North Park. I’ve helped out the last three years and for the last two years in a
row, we’ve reached the goal we set. I
would serve the lemonade, hold the bright yellow signs and wave them while I
stood in the street trying to get drivers’ attention. I’d talk to passersby and let them know what
was up. I drank several cups of lemonade
myself; all I had was a few bucks on me. But you know it’s not so much the exact dollar amount we raise, it’s the
effort involved behind it. This all
means something greater than just lemonade. This year we were trying to reach $12,000, but half way through the day,
we were hovering around $6000 and no one was quite sure we’d make it.
The day for a lemonade stand volunteer is hard, long, stressful, but it’s
also entertaining, rewarding, and dare I say it, fun! The local radio station 94.9 FM San Diego set
up a booth and broadcast music all day long; well except when there was a live
band playing, which was about half the day. There was a silent auction as well as face painting for the kids. You see it’s not just about selling lemonade,
it’s about celebrating life and good times with the community, neighbors, and
the people you love.
My child doesn’t have cancer. I
don’t personally know any children that have cancer either. However, I do know cancer is a terrible
thing. An adult friend of mine is
battling it right now. My dearly
departed grandmother had breast cancer, although it was when I was very young
and I don’t remember it. My other surviving
grandmother had cancer as well. Cancer
is one of those awful diseases that devastates its victims, and stabs at the
hearts of their loved ones. Cancer has
no remorse, no pity, empathy or mercy. It just does what it does, and it won’t stop unless we make it stop.
Doctors have devoted entire careers to helping people with cancer and researching
cures and treatments. Countless man
hours have been spent in the lab struggling for a breakthrough, an insight, an
answer, anything that can help fight Cancer’s wrath. Eating right, taking care of yourself and
making wise health choices sometimes aren’t enough and the doctors know
that. Sometimes, there’s still nothing they
can do. Even with all of their efforts
they still come up short. I can’t know
what it’s like, knowing that after devoting a life to science and helping
patients, what it feels like to fail the ones who needed you the most. I don’t know what it’s like to be lying there
on a bed, being ravaged by a disease that refuses to relent. There are so many ways I can’t help the
doctors with their research, the patients with their pain, or their families with
their helplessness.
I do know one thing though. In some small way, if all I can give is my time, I can make it mean something. I don't have to be rich, I don't have to have political powers or connections, I don't have to be a genius to help out. So I stood on a street corner, like all the other volunteers and I helped sell lemonade. And at the end of the day, we raised over $12,000 dollars. After we hit our mark, I only half jokingly said, "Next year let's shoot for $15,000." Until we end Cancer's reign of terror, everyone will struggle in one way or another. I figure the few aches and pains I suffer from being on my feet the whole day is a small price to pay.
Thanks for reading. Comments and questions are always welcome.
