LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18) — Alexandra Simpson loved all shades of purple. She found fascination in blue morpho butterflies, and she battled cancer for 10 years.
“She was diagnosed with cancer at 13, then again at 14,” said Melanie Simpson, Alex’s mother. “She was at UK Children’s Hospital."
With care from the UK Children’s Hospital, Alexandra’s cancer went into remission – but only for a few years.
“She was in her senior year at Dartmouth, 22 years old,” Simpson said. “Cancer came back a third time in 10 years. Unexpectedly, after she had been in remission seven years, she graduated, but we lost her August of ’22.”
Sunday morning, the Alexandra Hudson Simpson Foundation hosted a walk at sunrise to remember Alex.
“We had over 130 walkers today,” Simpson shared. “Some old friends, some new friends who came to walk in her memory and to benefit the Kentucky Children’s Hospital.”
The walk stretched through the UK Arboretum, one of the places where Alex left behind a legacy.
“Alexandra had about seven gifts that she wanted to make come to fruition. One was the arboretum. There’s a butterfly garden over here that has her name, has her statue.”
While the garden holds her name, Alex wanted her foundation to give back to the place that cared for her.
“The Kentucky Children’s Hospital, she wants them to have an MRI machine for pediatric patients,” Simpson said, “so they don’t have to go to the adult, to the Gill Heart Institute, for scanning, MRIs, anything like that.”
Alex’s goal is to make pediatric patients' lives as normal as possible. During her hospital stay, Alex remained active in her passions, mainly the arts. The Kentucky Children’s Hospital already opened the Simpson Family Theater, and Alexandra continues to give back.
“She left a few gifts just to say thank you to these organizations that helped her,” Simpson added.
At the end of the walk, which included a stretch through the Alexandra Simpson Butterfly Garden, the sun began to break through the cool spring morning.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the turnout, with the weather, the support, and the friendship. It’s been an amazing day," Melanie Simpson reflected.
“This is something we hope to continue every year.”
To support the work of the Alexandra Hudson Simpson Foundation, you can donate at https://uky.networkforgood.com/causes/20365-simpson-family-art-in-healing-fund.
