I stepped off the train that day without knowing at all what
to expect. I didn't know who was going to meet me or what I was going to do
once I got to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) offices; I didn't even know
what the Wynnewood train station was going to look like! I won't lie - I was
feeling a bit nervous. But more than that, I was feeling excited. I was really
looking forward to this.
Back in
January, I had attended the Lemon Ball and bid on one of the auction prizes: a
two-week internship with the Foundation. My experience with ALSF dates back
years ago, to when I was first diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma in 2003 at
the age of 12. My treatments took me to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the same hospital that Alex Scott
went to, to get treatment for the same disease. I heard all about her then, and
knew immediately that I wanted to help too. Since then, I've become a Hero Ambassador, speaking at events to share my story and hers. In doing so, I've
gotten to meet some of the people who work at the Foundation, and I've always
been amazed and inspired by what they do every day to help others just like me.
I wanted a chance to see more of that, and this auction prize gave me exactly
that. Somehow, I won that auction, and immediately began making arrangements
for it to happen. I live in New Jersey, an hour away from the ALSF office, so
I made plans to stay with a friend at UPenn for the 2 weeks I'd be interning. I
figured out train schedules to take me to Wynnewood from University City. I
communicated with people at ALSF to finalize plans. I set the date. In March, I
would be standing on a platform at the Wynnewood train station!
So
there I was, Monday morning, extremely excited and not knowing at all what to
expect. The very first person I met was Cindy, who had come to pick me up from
the train station; the very first thing I noticed about her was that she was
wearing a pair of green leopard print clogs...and immediately I felt completely
comfortable. This was going to be a fantastic two weeks.
That
day, I learned how the next two weeks would go. I would arrive in the morning,
learn who I was working with for that day, and then spend the day helping that
person out with whatever they might need. This way, I got to meet everyone in
the office, and I got to learn how every piece of the Foundation was run -
from the fundraisers to the computer systems to the grants processes, every
piece was important and essential for making ALSF so special.
For the next two
weeks, I input data, came up with ideas for fundraisers, helped with a new
website that would act as a resource for families of childhood cancer patients,
created videos for social media, made phone calls thanking donors for their
support, made graphics and spoke at a meeting for a large upcoming event. I
learned a lot about how an organization is run; but more than that, I learned
why Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is as extraordinary as it is, and it has everything
to do with the people who work there. They all truly believe in what they are
doing, and are still affected by every story they hear. No matter how long they
have been there, or how many kids with cancer they have met, they still treat
everyone as an individual, and seek to help with all those individual problems
that make everyone unique. My own story, for instance, is quite a bit different
than the ones they normally deal with.
I was diagnosed at an age that was
actually considered old for the kind of cancer I have, and I have been fighting
it for over 9 years now. I have had to learn how to deal with the side effects
of it, and of my medications, while going through high school, college and
beyond. There aren't too many others like me, but Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation still
wants to help me. They have listened to my individual needs, they have heard my
voice and worked to help me and others like me by bringing in more resources
for teenagers with cancer. When I go to their events, they call me afterwards
and ask me what they can do next time. They truly care. And every day, when
I walked into those offices for my internship, I was greeted with smiles and
a bright, "Good morning!" I always felt comfortable, and I always
felt valued. You don't get many experiences like that. For that, I will always
be grateful, and I will always be here, willing to help.
- Hope Bertelsen
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