Brave 7-year-old girl decided to sell lemonades to fund her brain surgeries: 'I hope I make it'
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. A 7-year-old girl from Alabama did just that. Diagnosed with a rare brain condition, the brave girl decided to make lemonade at a local bakery shop for a greater purpose. Liza Scott installed a lemonade stand inside their family bakery, Savage’s Bakery in Homewood, to serve customers fresh lemonades as summer kicked in and use the money to fund her brain surgeries, as reported by News19.
The daughter of a single mother, Elizabeth Scott, the little lady wanted to chip in to support her with whatever she could. Well, a lemonade stand for a cause is not too bad for a 7-year-old. Liza’s firm determination and hope for a better future steered public interest, with major news outlets covering her story. Speaking to News19, Elizabeth said, “She has three cerebral malformations. One is what they call a schizencephaly. So it’s a cleft in the frontal lobe in the right side of her brain, and we think that’s what's causing the seizures.”
In June 2021, Liza fell victim to Grand Mal seizures and was eventually diagnosed with the brain condition, which doctors called an “extra special brain,” per the source. Her mother is handling all the expenses, having purchased additional insurance to pay for the medical bills. Yet, Elizabeth is already burdened with an estimated $10,000 in expenses, including hotel and travel costs combined with surgery. She noted that “this is not something you can budget for,” being the sole financial supporter of two children.
Add to it the sleepless nights and constant fear of the worst. “You know, in the moments that I feel like I can’t breathe, or I’m awake in the night and I can’t sleep, I pray,” Elizabeth expressed. Meanwhile, Liza became her mother’s rock. She honestly admitted to the uncertainty of her future despite multiple reassurances from her mother. “I can’t handle it. So, I hope I make it,” Liza said. “My mom keeps saying I’m going to, but I feel like I’m not,” Liza said. The family had set up a fundraiser for Liza on the crowdfunding platform, MightyCause, with a target of $75,000. Surprisingly, the family has now raised $398,678 through kind donations from 7,538 people.
A description on the page details the life-changing news about Liza’s health that scarred the family forever. On January 20, 2021, the little girl was rushed to the hospital after her first bout of a Grand Mal seizure. Months later, the family headed to Boston Children’s for her surgeries with nothing but hope in their hearts. Elizabeth, who is also a caregiver to her 3-year-old son, Finnley, and a pup, Millie, prays for the safety of her home and children. She asked for support from people, either by purchasing Liza’s lemonades or donating to the cause.
The surgery was successful, but the little girl is still not out of danger. In a recent health update, Elizabeth announced that Liza's latest brain scans are due to be released by her doctors in Boston. Now 11, Liza is keen about researching dinosaurs, especially since the release of the new Jurassic Park series this month. WUSA9 (@WUSA9news) shared her story on YouTube. Meanwhile, Liza and her mother have been sharing updates about her treatment on their Facebook pages: Liza's Lemonade and Her Crumbs His Cross.