When medical costs began mounting for her young son’s treatment for a rare tumor, a Maine mother turned her passion for baking into an unexpected source of support: a tiny bakery stand in her front yard.
Kalee Weatherwax has chronicled the project for more than 12,000 online followers, posting videos of her pastel-pink bake stand and showcasing the homemade treats available each weekend.
Weatherwax has been caring for her son since he was a baby, after noticing an unusual bruise on his leg.
Alec, now 7, was diagnosed with Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma, or KHE—an exceptionally rare and aggressive tumor.
KHE develops from abnormal blood-vessel growth and can extend through the body’s veins.
Without treatment, the abnormal vessels can compress and damage surrounding muscles. Weatherwax told Inside Edition last month that, when Alec was initially diagnosed, the vessels were growing toward his heart.
Since infancy, Alec has taken an oral chemotherapy drug twice each day to control his condition. The medication has weakened his immune system, however, and he frequently has to miss school, Weatherwax said.
The uncommon treatment costs about $2,000 per box, creating a significant financial burden for the family.
Kalee Weatherwax began selling baked goods from her front yard to help cover the cost of Alec’s rare treatment. The mother and son are pictured together above. Picture source: Kalee Weatherwax/Facebook
With help from her three sons, Weatherwax runs the charming pink bake stand from her front yard on weekends. Picture source: Kalee Weatherwax/Facebook
Alec was diagnosed with Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE), an extremely rare and aggressive tumor. Picture source: Kalee Weatherwax/Facebook
Following Alec’s diagnosis, Weatherwax faced a difficult choice: return to work after maternity leave to help cover the cost of his medication, or remain at home to care for him.
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Because baking was already a passion—and friends regularly asked to purchase her treats—the idea of opening a small home bakery began to take shape.
‘Time has been a thief, and we haven’t gotten all of those normal experiences that a lot of other people have, and I’m grateful for every experience I get with my child, no matter what,’ Weatherwax told the Kennebec Journal.
‘But to me, I’m just like: how could I steal that time back? And that’s kind of why I wanted to start a home business.’
For several years, Weatherwax and her three sons have welcomed neighbors to the pink stand, selling freshly baked goods from their front yard each weekend.
Before every opening, she posts videos of the baking process and shares the upcoming menu with her online community.
A recent weekend selection included sourdough bread, pumpkin chocolate-chip muffins, banana chocolate-chip muffins, chocolate-chip cookies and apple crumb coffee cake.
Although the stand was closed for Halloween weekend, Weatherwax still left out complimentary self-serve coffee and juice for local families to enjoy while trick-or-treating.
Weatherwax and her family sell homemade baked goods from their front yard each weekend. Picture source: Kalee Weatherwax/Facebook
The home bakery took shape after Alec’s diagnosis, as Weatherwax weighed returning to work against caring for him while facing rising treatment costs. Picture source: Kalee Weatherwax/Facebook
‘Thank you all so much for an amazing season and we’ll be back to baking next week with a few holiday additions,’ Weatherwax wrote on Facebook.
The Maine mother said the bake stand has done more than help the family pay for Alec’s care. It has also offered him a way to connect with neighbors while living with a compromised immune system.
Weatherwax told the Kennebec Journal that chemotherapy has helped keep Alec’s symptoms under control. The family is hoping an ultrasound planned for next month will bring encouraging news and allow doctors to lower his treatment dose.
