Childhood cancer survivor hosts lemonade stand to help kids battling the disease

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A young girl's lemonade stand in St. Petersburg is raising thousands of dollars for kids with cancer. 

Eight-year-old Caroline Gallagher is fighting childhood cancer one cup at a time. She first started the stand after she beat cancer and now it's grown into a major community event.

"When I was little I had cancer and I now want to help people with cancer so I'm raising money for childhood cancer with my lemonade stand," Caroline said.

Caroline was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was 19 months old and has been in remission for six years. 

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"When Caroline was just over 2-years-old she had the idea herself. So ironically, it was an idea that Alex from Alex's Lemonade stand also had in her youth. The idea that she wanted to help other kids being treated for cancer when she herself was still being treated. It just blows my mind. I'm so proud of her for having that kind of big heart and thoughtfulness for kids," Caroline's dad Charles Gallagher said.

On Saturday, Caroline's C&C Lemonade Factory hosted its 6th Annual Lemonade Stand outside her family's home in St. Pete. It coincides with Lemonade Days--a national program by the organization Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. 

One hundred percent of the proceeds will go toward kids fighting cancer with half going to the foundation and the other half going to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, where Caroline underwent chemotherapy.

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"It's really heartwarming and gives you pause in these times where people are not always being nice to everyone else. There are a whole lot of folks that are doing good that want to do good. The business community and the sports teams all jumped in and helped out," Gallagher said.

The Rays, The Lighting, The Bucs and St. Pete Fire Rescue along with several local businesses all partnered with Caroline to help raise awareness about her cause. It's an event that's seen major growth over the last few years going from making $54 her first year to raising more than $20,000 in 2020.

"It feels really great and amazing just to be helping," she said. 

Since 2017, Caroline's Lemonade Stand has raised more than $40,000 for childhood cancer.