Westminster Teen Makes Holidays Brighter for Kids with Chronic Illness

Alexis Ross was 12 when she was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. She was 14 when she decided to take that negative and turn it into a positive for local children suffering from chronic illness. 

Ross founded Live Hope Laugh in 2010 with the intention of improving and impacting the lives of children and teens living with a chronic illness. 

And she's been very busy doing just that. Earlier this week Ross hosted a Night of Giving at the American Legion in Westminster where she provided a meal, dessert and gifts for 20 families. 

The Westminster High School senior, now 17-years-old, has grown the holiday program tremendously in just three years. According to the Live Hope Laugh website, the organization adopted three families at Christmas in its first year. Now, just three years later, the organization is helping close to 20 families. 

"Within a few years the organization has grown and I hope to keep it growing and improving," Ross writes on her website. "Being able to help others and to put a smile on one person's face is the greatest feeling in the world. After the first year I delivered gifts I remember leaving the house in tears of joy because I knew that what we just did really made a difference in the family's Christmas."

Live Hope Laugh has not only grown in the number of people it serves around the holidays, the organization is now also offering programs throughout the year. There is a scholarship program, a day out program, an Easter program and a back to school project. She also travels to hospitals to meet with families and she goes to the Ronald McDonald House. 

Ross is in the nursing program at the Carroll County Career and Tech Center. She plans to pursue a job in pediatric nursing. 

"Helping these families never gets tiring or old," Ross said. "It's extremely rewarding." 

Related Articles:

• Alexis Ross Organization Prepares for 'Walk for Hope'…
• Whiz Kid: Local Teen Gives Hope to Chronically Ill Children
• Two Westminster High School Students Recognized as “Unsung Heroes”