Foundation Facts
In 2014, four year old Nevaeh Denine of Goulds, NL was battling her second round of Neuroblastoma* when she had the heartwarming idea to hold the “biggest lemonade stand ever” as a way to give back to her community and to those who assisted her family in their time of need.
With the help of a dedicated committee of friends known as the Nevaeh’s Lemonade Stand Committee, Nevaeh’s first lemonade stand was launched in July 2014 and raised over $22,000.00 to assist five children with paediatric cancer and their families in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Nevaeh’s Lemonade Stand turned into an annual summer celebration, raising thousands of dollars each year. Each event was bigger and better than the previous, complete with carnival games, food vendors, live musical performances and special celebrity appearances. Since July 2014, the Nevaeh’s Lemonade Stand fundraisers have raised over $500,000 in proceeds to assist over 85 families and children with paediatric cancer in Newfoundland and Labrador, with the main goal to alleviate the financial stress that cancer can bring by providing monetary support to assist with travel and hospital costs, accommodations, meals and so much more.
For ten months, Nevaeh was in remission from this disease and living life cancer free. But sadly, in February of 2016, her cancer relapsed and she began her battle with Neuroblastoma once again. Throughout her illness, Nevaeh maintained a positive attitude with a fighting spirit. However, she unfortunately succumbed to her illness in August 2018, just 10 days after her ninth birthday. Nevaeh’s last wish before she passed was for her lemonade stand to continue in her name and this is a promise that the Nevaeh’s Lemonade Stand Committee continues to honour.
After Nevaeh’s untimely passing, the Nevaeh’s Lemonade Stand Committee worked diligently with the Canada Revenue Agency and a local law firm to establish a CRA registered charity in Nevaeh’s honour. In November 2019, Nevaeh’s Lemonade Stand was officially granted charitable status and going forward, will now be known as Nevaeh’s Angel Foundation.
The Nevaeh’s Angel Foundation logo is inspired by a drawing of an angel that Nevaeh drew before she passed away. This drawing was discovered after her passing, but it is believed that this is how Nevaeh envisioned herself – as an Angel with long, strawberry blonde hair, with a bright and courageous smile and dancing in a beautiful, purple dress. Nevaeh’s signature is used for the word “Nevaeh” and a yellow lemon halo over the word “Angel” pays tribute to the legacy she created through her lemonade stand.
As of April 2021, the Nevaeh’s Angel Foundation has 10 members serving on the Board of Directors and 8 members serving on the Nevaeh’s Lemonade Stand Committee.
Information on Neuroblastoma
*Neuroblastoma is a cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body. Neuroblastoma most commonly arises in and around the adrenal glands, which have similar origins to nerve cells and sit atop the kidneys. However, neuroblastoma can also develop in other areas of the abdomen and in the chest, neck and near the spine, where groups of nerve cells exist.
This disease most commonly affects children age 5 or younger, though it may rarely occur in older children. Neuroblastomas, which represent 95% of tumours in the sympathetic nervous system, represent 5% of all childhood cancer.