Jun 10, 2009 4:30 pm US/Eastern
Brotherly Love: Max Levine
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
What better example of Brotherly Love in our area than those who sacrifice their own condition to help others. As CBS3 gets ready to launch our Alex's Lemonade Stand Telethon, Dave Huddleston shows us how one family continues to help those fighting cancer.
Like Alex Scott, Max Levine suffered from neuroblastoma, a vicious cancer that takes victims too early in life. Max died at the age of 16, but his family wants his memory to live on -- by helping others fight cancer.
"If anyone else had cancer and they needed some advice, I'd say just take it one day at a time," Max said in 2006.
This year, he would have been a high school senior at Cherry Hill East High School. Unfortunately, Max lost his battle with cancer last year, but his legacy lives on.
Recently at the school, a steady stream of students lined up to buy Alex's Lemonade in honor of Max. His sister Sarah organized the stand. She says even though her brother is gone, he made those around him feel special, and they shared special moments, only the way a sibling could.
"He was wonderful, he was really great, we shared secrets, told stories, we shared a lot with each other that I wouldn't share with my parents, that he wouldn't share with our parents," Sarah said.
But Sarah says sharing at the lemonade stand can really make a difference.
"Whatever dollar you donate, that might be the dollar that could find a cure and if you donate more, there's a better chance," she said.
That's what Cherry Hill East students are doing, giving those with cancer a fighting chance.
Alex Roda says he wouldn't miss this chance to help and support those fighting cancer.
"It's just a really good thing to do and I'm happy I can support a great cause," he said.
Teachers at the school say it's easy to support anything associated with Max because he was such a great kid, who even through his own struggles, would have been at the school selling lemonade.
"Right up to the end, Max was trying to help out, trying to run this stuff and make sure he could help those who came after him," said teacher Mike Dappalone.
Cherry Hill East High School holds an annual coffee house each year, where the money raised goes to Max's Fund, named in memory of Max Levine. All the proceeds go to neuroblastoma research.
RELATED LINK:
Alex's Lemonade Stand
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