ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND FOUNDATION CHALLENGES AMERICA TO MOVE A MILLION MILES FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH IN SEPTEMBER

Largest Independent Childhood Cancer Charity in U.S. Kicks Off 14th Million Mile During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month as Pediatric Research Needs Grow

WYNNEWOOD, PA, UNITED STATES, August 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — KEY POINTS
– Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation launches its 14th Annual Million Mile during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month; open for registration now at AlexsLemonade.org/campaign/the-million-mile-2026, challenging participants nationwide to walk, run, bike, swim, or move throughout September to raise funds for childhood cancer research
– Since 2013, The Million Mile has raised over $20 million and logged nearly 12 million miles; ALSF has raised nearly $400 million overall and helped grow FDA-approved childhood cancer treatments from 18 to over 60 since 2005
– Childhood cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease in U.S. children up to age 20, with 15,000 families receiving a diagnosis every year, making independent research funding more critical than ever

In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), the largest independent childhood cancer charity in the U.S., today announced its 14th Million Mile challenge – a nationwide movement calling upon individuals, families, and communities to collectively log one million miles through walking, running, biking, swimming, and any form of movement throughout September to advance childhood cancer research and raise awareness for the 15,000 families receiving a diagnosis every year in the U.S. Since 2013, The Million Mile has raised over $20 million and logged nearly 12 million miles for childhood cancer research and family support programs.

“The Million Mile is our most powerful response to a world where childhood cancer research needs this community more than ever,” said Liz Scott, Co-Executive Director of ALSF and founder Alex Scott’s mother. “Every mile logged and donation made this September funds the research, the clinical trials, and the programs that families depend on right now. Alex started this movement because she believed ordinary people could do extraordinary things for kids with cancer. Twenty-six years later, the children she helped save are part of this movement. This is what her legacy looks like, and every person who joins us this September becomes part of it too.”

The 2026 Million Mile arrives at a critical moment. Childhood cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease in the United States for children up to age 20, and despite more than 400,000 children developing cancer worldwide each year, childhood cancer research remains consistently underfunded compared to adult cancers. The research funding that has been giving these children a fighting chance faces growing uncertainty, and the families receiving a childhood cancer diagnosis today need advocates, researchers, and communities to show up for them more than ever.

The Million Mile directly addresses this disparity by transforming everyday movement into lifesaving research dollars, and every mile logged this September is a direct investment in the treatments, clinical trials, and support programs that childhood cancer families depend on, bringing the entire community one step closer to the cures every family deserves.

This September also marks a landmark moment for the childhood cancer community: ALSF recently published its first-ever Childhood Cancer Report 2026, a comprehensive, publicly available resource bringing together critical data, research milestones, and key insights on childhood cancer in one place. Since ALSF’s first research grant in 2005, FDA-approved childhood cancer treatments have grown from just 18 to over 60 and survival rates have climbed from 77% to 85% in the U.S. The report underscores both the extraordinary progress ALSF has helped drive and the urgency of the work that remains.

How The Million Mile Challenge Works

Between September 1-30, 2026, participants commit to logging miles through walking, running, cycling, swimming, or any form of movement while raising funds for ALSF. The challenge brings together individuals, families, schools, corporate teams, researchers, and community groups including childhood cancer families themselves, many of whom are walking and running in honor of the children whose survival made their participation possible. The funds raised through The Million Mile support ALSF’s mission and core pillars in the fight against childhood cancer:

Research Funding: Supporting innovative pediatric cancer research projects at leading institutions
Treatment Access: Expanding access to cutting-edge treatments for children who need them most
Family Support: Providing programs that remove financial barriers to lifesaving care

The Million Mile has become one of ALSF’s signature fundraising campaigns, demonstrating the power of collective action in the fight against childhood cancer. The program exemplifies ALSF’s grassroots origins, much like Alex Scott’s original front yard lemonade stand that started the foundation, The Million Mile proves that ordinary people taking simple actions can create extraordinary change, and this September, every step counts.

Join the Movement
Registration for the 2026 Million Mile is now open. Participants can sign up as individuals or create teams, set fundraising goals, and track their miles throughout September. The campaign provides participants with fundraising tools, progress tracking, and community support to maximize their impact. To register, learn more about The Million Mile and for more information on supporting childhood cancer research, visit https://www.alexslemonade.org/campaign/the-million-mile-2026.

For media inquiries or to speak with ALSF representatives, please contact Jessica Buono of Pitch Parlor PR at jbuono@pitchparlorpr.com.

ABOUT ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND FOUNDATION:
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of 4-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was fighting cancer and wanted to raise money to find cures for all children with cancer. By the time Alex passed away at the age of 8, she had raised $1 million. Since then, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a worldwide fundraising movement and the largest independent childhood cancer charity in the U.S. ALSF is a leader in funding pediatric cancer research projects across the globe and providing programs to families affected by childhood cancer. For more information, visit AlexsLemonade.org.

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Jessica Buono
Pitch Parlor PR
+1 732-740-5751
email us here

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Written By: EIN Presswire