Two young ladies from Madison, Alabama, have important plans for today. For the third year in a row, Maelin-Kate Carlson and her best friend, Landri Kruse, will operate a neighborhood lemonade stand to support the important work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The stand will be open at the Heritage Station Subdivision Pool area, 116 Bayberry Drive, starting at 9 a.m. and continuing until the lemonade runs out. In addition to lemonade, the girls will offer Chick-fil-A chocolate chunk cookies and custom-designed t-shirts, with 100% of proceeds benefiting St. Jude.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has helped increase childhood cancer survival rates from 20% to more than 80% over the past 50 years, and thanks to donor support, families never receive a bill for treatment, housing, travel, or food. It’s a mission that is deeply personal to Maelin-Kate and her family.
Maelin’s mom shared her remarkable story on St. Jude’s website to inspire others who may be facing similar challenges. In 2017, Megan and Paul Carlson, already parents to four boys, began the process of adopting a medically needy child from overseas. When they saw a photo of a smiling, nearly 3-year-old girl, they instantly knew she was meant to be their daughter. That September, they traveled to China and brought home Maelin-Kate, who bonded immediately with her new family.
Although the Carlsons expected to address her hip dysplasia, routine bloodwork soon revealed something much more serious: Fanconi anemia, a rare genetic disorder that causes bone marrow failure. The family turned to St. Jude, where doctors monitored her condition and eventually found a compatible bone marrow donor after an extensive search. In 2019, Maelin underwent a successful transplant at St. Jude after months of treatment.
According to WAFF, Maelin and Landri met in 2021 at the neighborhood pool and became fast friends. In 2023, after Landri’s mother learned about the St. Jude Lemonade Stand Challenge, the two girls decided to host their first stand — raising more than $8,000 in their first two years.
Both girls say the fundraiser holds special meaning. “It’s important to me because I was a St. Jude patient, they treated me, and I’m back healthy, and I just wanted to return the favor,” Maelin-Kate told WAFF. Landri added, “I know how hard it was for her when she was at St. Jude, and it just makes me feel good to help other kids like her.”
Today, Maelin remains bubbly and resilient despite her ongoing condition, which still requires regular checkups. Her mom told St. Jude that Maelin finds joy in the smallest things — declaring moments like seeing a butterfly or having spaghetti for dinner as “the best day ever.”
For Maelin-Kate and Landri, each glass of lemonade sold is a way to say thank you to St. Jude and to bring hope to others.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
