BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A young girl is proving that it's not what matters on the outside that counts.
She's serving up sweetness in a cup, raising money for a cause deeply personal to her.
"I’m super excited that everyone is here for me," said Sage Shapiro.
Sage was diagnosed with alopecia when she was 3 years old.
"When she first lost hair, of course I was worried," said Rachel Shapiro, Sage’s mom. "I was concerned. She had a really little spot in the front of her head."
Now, three years later, all her hair is gone.
"Sage has really been so strong through it," said Shapiro. "It’s obviously much harder on mama bear but look how great how many people are here and she can do it all without having hair."
On Sunday, hundreds of people stopped by a pop-up lemonade stand in Boynton Beach to raise money and awareness for the Children’s Alopecia Project.
"Awareness is the number one thing so when you see somebody, especially a child that has no hair, don’t automatically think they have the worst-case scenario," said Jeff Woytovich, founder of Children’s Alopecia Project. "It might just be this crazy autoimmune disease that makes this kid’s hair fall out."
Shapiro said her friends have stuck with her every step of the way.
"Riley has been amazing through this whole process and I can’t thank her enough," said Shapiro. "She’s been my daughter’s rock."
They are best friends for life, through the sour and sweet moments, one cup of lemonade at a time.
"She’s happy," said Shapiro. "She’s living her best 6-year-old life."
Sage’s lemonade stand raised $10,000.
