TAMPA, Fla. — We all need a friend. A best friend is even better. A best friend can change your life. A best friend can help save your life, like Lucy Barnett and Lexi Frisby.
“They’ve been best friends forever,” said Judy Frisby, Lexi’s mom.
WATCH Tampa girl raises money for friend's brain cancer treatment with lemonade stand
They first met when Lucy and her family moved across the street from Lexi and her family in Orlando, nearly a decade ago.
While Lucy’s family has since moved to Tampa, the two are still inseparable.
“I like how long I’ve been friends with her and how much we have in common. We… like the same things,” said Lucy Barnett, Lexi’s best friend.
“I love just being around her. She is so sweet and kind, and she’ll just like bring out the best in people... Just even hanging with her doing nothing is fun,” said Lexi Frisby, Lucy’s best friend.
Their friendship has already been tested in their young lives, a test many adults never have to take.
Lexi was a healthy child with no symptoms until one day last August, after she and her family returned home from a trip.
“And she was complaining of a headache. And we had been traveling and I just thought I have a headache too no big deal but then it didn’t go away,” said Judy.
They went to the doctor and discovered Lexi had a double ear infection, which they thought was causing the headache.
“Then came the nausea and the vomiting and at that point the pediatrician said let’s just rule out anything,” said Judy.
So Lexi got a brain scan.
“That’s the day that everything changed,” said Judy.
There was a mass in Lexi’s brain— an extremely rare brain cancer.
“There aren’t words. It’s every parent’s nightmare. You never want to hear that your child has cancer. And brain cancer at that. Nobody quite prepares you for how to handle that,” said Judy.
“My husband’s employer gave a huge donation,” said Meredith Barnett, Lucy’s mom.
Lexi had to go through radiation, and then she was dropped from a clinical trial when the cancer progressed to her spine.
After getting opinions from top doctors, Judy was told their best option was to seek treatment in Germany.
“It led us to this treatment in Germany, IOZK, in Cologne,” said Judy.
But the costs were so high.
“It’s an astronomical cost, not covered by insurance,” said Meredith.
“When it was sort of presented to us, you either figure out a way to raise $200,000 or stay put and don’t get your child this treatment, our friends rallied,” said Judy.
Friends, like Lucy.
Meredith told Tampa Bay 28 that her daughter wanted to find a way to help.
“She wanted to donate money of her own,” said Meredith.
So, she did it, with a lemonade stand for Lexi.
“We always did a lemonade stand when we were younger and I thought the lemonade stand was the fastest way that I could get money,” said Lucy.
The community showed up.
“We thought $30 would be a success and it ended up blowing up into something much, much larger, because of social media and the Westchase community and beyond,” said Meredith.
Stranger after stranger donated.
“We had complete strangers just Venmoing us and Zelleing us money. $5 here and $10 here but it all added up. I had one man send me $500. Never met him, no idea who he is. We had one couple drive over an hour because they had experienced something similar in their lives. They drove over an hour here and gave a $100 bill to Lucy. My husband’s employer gave a huge donation,” said Meredith.
Lucy has raised more than $2,600 so far.
“I just felt very happy about it to know that other people care about how she is,” said Lucy.
Lexi and her family are so grateful for the support.
“We’re just really thankful to Lucy and her family for just loving Lexi so much and for wanting to help,” said Judy.
Through everything, Lexi has managed to stay positive.
“It’s definitely hard but I just try and stay positive even if it hurts or something or I just don’t feel like doing it, I just try my best and accept that it’s happening and then just imagine it’s normal,” said Lexi.
“She’s very brave. She’s the bravest person I know. She’s never stopped and asked like why is this happening to me or I wish it wasn’t happening to me. She’s just always positive and putting one foot in front of the other. And we pray a lot. It has helped get us through this,” said Judy.
Lucy has a message for her best friend.
“She can do this… cancer won’t win,” said Lucy.
Time is of the essence, as Lexi’s cancer has advanced.
She just got back from Germany after her first treatment there.
Lexi’s family will go as many times as it takes for Lexi to get healthy.
“Nobody is prepared to get a diagnosis like this for your child. Not emotionally prepared for it but certainly not financially prepared for it,” said Judy.
Friends of the Frisby family have made a website for Lexi where you can make a tax-deductible donation.
For more details, click here.
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