Published: May 6, 2007

Seven-year-old Lina Rak doesn't even remember her fight against cancer.
The energetic first-grader was diagnosed with stage-four neuroblastoma, a cancer of specialized nerve cells, six years ago. The form of cancer has only 25 percent survival odds, after undergoing chemotherapy and stem-cell transplants, Lina's cancer has been in remission since 2002.
Nowadays the girl in the rose-tinted glasses spreads her enthusiasm to help kids with cancer. Saturday marked her fourth annual "Lemonade 4 Life" campaign, in which Lina collected money for childhood cancer research with lemonade stands around Jacksonville.
"It's been really fun helping other people," Lina said as she sipped on lemonade.
The event has grown every year, starting with $2,500 raised in 2004. Organizers hoped to collect $7,500 Saturday from the 25 lemonade stands at area Publix grocery stores.
Lina led the other girls from her YMCA Adventure Princesses program in holding signs, collecting money and handing out drinks. She kept ruffling through the jar of donations to count the money.
"Look, $100!" she exclaimed to the other young girls, as she read a check.
Lina also had help fundraising Saturday from former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin.
Coughlin, now head coach of the New York Giants, is in Jacksonville for fundraising events for the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, which also raises money for cancer treatment. Coughlin visited each lemonade stand and shook hands with sports fans to encourage donations. Former NFL players and current Jaguars players also stopped by some stands.
All proceeds will be split between Coughlin's foundation and Alex's Lemonade Stand, a foundation that pays for pediatric cancer research and has raised more than $10 million nationally.
Coughlin started the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund in honor of Jay McGillis, who played football for Coughlin when he was head coach at Boston College. McGillis, a safety, was diagnosed with Leukemia in November 1991 and died less than eight months later.
Couglin's foundation is scheduled to host a celebrity golf classic and tournament today and Monday with appearances from football personalities including Mark Brunell, Steve Spurrier, Eli Manning, Sterling Sharpe, Bill Parcells and Jon Gruden. Last year's events raised more than $250,000 for cancer treatment, according to Coughlin.
"I always look forward to this weekend to come back and do some good," Coughlin said.
adam.aasen@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4247
HOW YOU CAN HELP
To make a donation, go to Alex's Lemonade Stand online at alexslemonade.org or the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund site at tcjayfund.org.
ONLINE
For more photos, go to Jacksonville.com, keyword: lemonade

Illustration: Photo

BOB MACK/The Times-Union
Cancer survivor Lina Rak, 7, tries to drum up business for Alex's Lemonade Stand outside the Johns Creek Publix on State Road 210 in St. Johns County. Saturday marked Lina's fourth annual "Lemonade 4 Life" campaign, in which she collects money for childhood cancer research with lemonade stands around Jacksonville.
BOB MACK/The Times-Union
Former Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin shakes hands with Lina Rak at her lemonade stand. Coughlin, now head coach of the New York Giants, visited each of the 25 Jacksonville-area lemonade stands and shook hands with fans to encourage donations.
BOB MACK/The Times-Union

Copyright 2007 The Florida Times-Union

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