BBC:

US headlines abound of average Americans crowd sourcing funds for their medical treatment, or selflessly forgoing necessary medicine in order to save money for their families. Why are these stories so popular?

…

MacLeod says that „kids selling lemonade are a classic example“ of the „perseverance porn“ that he has documented.

He has seen several cases of children setting up lemonade stands to pay for their parents‘ or their own medical treatment.

„It’s never truly acknowledged that if these children lived in a more humane society, their perseverance would not even be necessary.“

„If that girl lived in Nova Scotia, Norway or New Zealand she wouldn’t have to desperately try to sell lemonade on the street to afford her medical bills.“