At left, Isabella Vermooten, 5, greets shoppers Friday with a shout of “Would you like to buy some lemonade?” at the Hy-Vee store at 4000 W. Sixth St. Isabella was joined by volunteers Benjamin Willems, 3 and Campbell Helling, 3. The children were raising money to fight childhood cancer with the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. The fundraiser continues Saturday at area Hy-Vee stores.

One little girl’s lemonade stand has become a national effort to raise money for pediatric cancer research.

Alexandra “Alex” Scott founded the first lemonade stand as a 4-year-old. The Pennsylvania girl received a neuroblastoma diagnosis before her first birthday and died from the disease in 2004 when she was 8.

On what would have been Alex’s ninth birthday, the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was formed, to continue Alex’s work of raising funds to help children with cancer.

On Friday, Alex’s Lemonade Stands were set up at both Lawrence Hy-Vee stores. They will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today.

“We’re basically continuing her legacy of supporting other children who are sick with cancer — something that she suffered from herself,” said Anna Stone, a volunteer at Hy-Vee on Sixth Street.

Carson Toews, 5, was volunteering at the stand Friday with his mother, Kristi. Like Alex, Carson received a neuroblastoma diagnosis before his 1st birthday. But he’s been in remission for four and a half years.

Carson said he was happy with people’s support of the lemonade stand.

“It’s great,” his mother said. “I think there are so many people nowadays who know someone who’s had childhood cancer, and so everybody can relate.”

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised more than $25 million to support pediatric cancer research.