(Video Above: Lisa Harris shares how the lemonade stand has grown to something much bigger)
Lisa Harris spotted a rainbow in the sky.
If this were any other afternoon, her joy would have been immense. But today, joy was way in the back of her mind and heart. Lisa had just attended her husband’s funeral. And when others who knew him walked out of the funeral home and noticed the rainbow, someone said, “Scott is still painting.”
A little joy came back.
Scott Harris was an art director at o2ideas advertising agency. In 2011, he had a seizure at home in Cahaba Heights. A CT scan found a tumor in his brain and, after surgery, doctors found it was stage-four cancer. The family was told such cancer patients have an average lifespan of 11 months.
After radiation and chemotherapy, Scott did well and life returned to some normalcy.
“We took it day by day,” Lisa said. “My dad died of a brain tumor, so I was familiar with the seriousness of the disease. The tumor grew back after a year, and Scott went on a clinical trial at UAB. He was frustrated and worried about the girls.”
Their two girls, Lucy and Ruby, were 6 and 4. The parents tried to keep their spirits up, but soon Scott was moved to hospice care.
At 5 a.m. on Nov. 12, 2013, Lisa knew her husband was nearing the end. She woke the girls, and they held each other.
“It was tough that day,” Lisa recalled. “I tried to bring up good memories and it worked. The girls cried and laughed at the same time.”
Lisa said the date of 11-12-13 was appropriate for Scott’s personality.
“He was an artist who was quirky, eclectic and hilarious – it figures!”
Before Scott’s death, Ruby suggested a fundraiser for UAB Hospital. May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month, so the girls set up a lemonade stand, and Publix donated lemonade and cookies. The family raised $3,000.
The next year, Lisa, who also works at o2ideas, enlisted the help of her co-workers and they treated Ruby and Lucy as clients. They came up with a plan that included a food truck, live music, an art auction and T-shirt sale in addition to the lemonade and cookies.
They called it “The Lucy and Ruby Brainy Day.” That day they raised $13,000.
Money from the event helps Wheeling for Hope, a nonprofit started by Scott’s clinical trial nurse, whose husband passed away from brain cancer. Wheeling for Hope helps Children’s of Alabama hospital, UAB’s Neuro-Oncology division, brain tumor research and patient support services.
Lisa and the girls dream of it getting bigger.
“We want it to be huge, and we want it to make an impact,” Lisa said. “We would love to see the event go beyond our little story and affect many lives.”
And the biggest reward?
It wasn’t the money raised, or the number of people who contributed; it was the relationships made with people from all over the city who shared a similar story.
“Something very interesting happened,” Lisa said. “People were giving us money, and we were giving it to others. The girls and I feel so blessed that we are able to help people going through tough times.”
Lucy and Ruby are now 10 and 8. They shyly said they are glad their “Brainy Day” is helping others.
And in their eyes, Daddy is still painting rainbows. Even without the rain.
Alabama Bright Lights captures the stories, through words, pictures and video, of some of our state’s brightest lights who are working to make Alabama an even better place to live, work and play. Award-winning photojournalist Karim Shamsi-Basha tells their inspiring stories. Email him comments, as well as suggestions on people to profile, at [email protected].
