Pennsylvania

Maya's Story: Girl Battling Cancer to be Honored by Alex's Lemonade

Maya Rigler, the 10-year-old from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania battling cancer for the second time, surpassed her fundraising goal and will be honored for it.

Donations in a fundraiser created by Maya and Alex's Lemonade Stand surpassed her goal of $250,000.

Alex's Lemonade will honor Maya as the stand host of the year at this year's Lemon Ball.

Maya has an orange-sized tumor on her pancreas formed by a rare type of cancer called atypical Ewing's sarcoma. Doctors must shrink the tumor before they can remove it. The girl already fought and won a fight against a Wilms tumor on her kidney when she was 2-years-old.

Despite her own health scare, Maya continues her work to help other kids like her by raising money for pediatric cancer research.

"She said that maybe the reason that she got through this is so she could help other kids," said Maya's father Peter Rigler. "It was a pretty powerful thing to say."

NBC10 told Maya's story last February and less than 24 hours later, donations to her virtual fundraising stand jumped by more than $10,000.

Her initial fundraising goal was $100,000, but that goal quickly raised to $250,000. As of Friday night, she had raised more than $252,000.

"She's a pretty determined little girl so I'm not so surprised," said Maya'a mother Stacy Rigler.

On Saturday, Maya will receive her recognition.

CLICK HERE to donate.

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