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7-year-old cancer survivor sells lemonade to help other kids with cancer

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Posted at 11:31 AM, Jun 01, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-01 11:31:46-04

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A 7-year-old who battled leukemia as a toddler is helping other children with cancer by selling lemonade.

Caroline Gallagher will raise money for childhood cancer on Saturday, June 5. Her lemonade stand will be in the yard of her family's home in St. Petersburg.

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"First, we put in water, then the sugar, then some lemonade juice, then we stir it all together, and that's lemonade," said Caroline Gallagher.

Caroline's sister, Charlotte, helps too.

"We make the lemonade. We pour it in the cups, give it out to people," said Charlotte.

Drivers may line up outside the home, and the family will run lemonade to each car. Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the event to go virtual. Caroline had huge success and raised more than $20,000.

"We're grateful to be back because even though literally the world stopped, childhood cancer didn't. We're grateful we can do something to help," said mom Danielle Gallagher.

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The event coincides with Lemonade Days. It is a national movement inspired by Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Alex, an 8-year-old from Connecticut, died in 2004. She raised $1 million selling lemonade before her death.

Caroline said she wants to help the doctors, so they have medicine for sick children. Caroline was diagnosed with leukemia at 18 months old. The 7-year-old is in remission.

"She still goes to the oncology team at All Children's every three months, so all her results have been great, her counts have been great, so we're grateful for that," said Danielle.

"I'm just a really grateful parent because our niece lost her battle with cancer while Caroline was still going through treatment, so we know firsthand how this journey can also end."

The lemonade does not have a price, but Caroline asks for donations.

Saturday's event runs from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

100% of donations will go to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

To learn more, visit cclemonade.com.

This story was originally published by Julie Salomone at WFTS.