Child cancer Lemonade Stand fundraiser at Indian Beach Sunday

The annual Lemonade Stand fundraiser to help support the Garcia family’s very personal fight against childhood cancer will be at Indian Beach Sunday complete with raffles and a few cups of lemonade.

Canyon Lakers are being invited to participate to help raise funds for the Garcia’s Childhood Cancer Awareness cause this year, the Gold Rush Cure. The Gold Rush Cure was established in 2009 by Sandy and Gary Barker after the loss of their son Christian to a rare form of Leukemia. Christian underwent two bone marrow transplants and received treatment at various hospitals, including CHOC, CHLA, and Seattle, before tragically passing away.

The Barkers founded the Gold Rush Cure to provide customized gifts for children with cancer, focusing on celebrating their courage and strength rather than their illness. They create “Pots of Gold” for these children and their siblings.

The funds raised by this year’s Lemonade Stand and its associated contributions will be used to purchase Pots of Gold for the Gold Rush Cure children.

In addition to the lemonade, the Garcias are accepting donations at Sunday’s Indian Beach event and a raffle will be held for a chance to win one of the many amazing raffle items. Raffle tickets will be $5.00 each.

September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month seems a fitting time for a fundraiser to be put on by a childhood cancer survivor. Juliana Garcia, a resilient and active fifth-grader, has been battling cancer since her third birthday.

Diagnosed with Wilms tumor stage one, Juliana underwent a grueling four-hour surgery at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to have the tumor and her kidney removed. Following the surgery, she endured six months of chemotherapy and has since been on a rigorous schedule of ultrasounds and x-rays to monitor her remaining kidney.

Juliana also meets with a nephrologist and an oncologist at Rady’s Children’s Hospital for regular check-ups to ensure her continued well-being.

The Garcia family, residents of Canyon Lake for 15 years, includes Juliana’s older brother Gavin, who is 15 years old. Juliana shares a deep bond with her brother and frequently joins him and his friends in various activities, staying active and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Recently, she even ventured into organized sports by joining a recreational soccer team, proving her determination to lead a fulfilling life despite her medical challenges. Despite Juliana’s parents’ concerns with playing soccer while only having one kidney, they decided to allow her to enjoy the sport.

In 2017, the Garcia family initiated a heartwarming tradition of organizing lemonade stands at Indian Beach to support organizations that had helped them during Juliana’s cancer battle. This charitable endeavor continued until 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily halted their efforts. Juliana’s top record was in 2019 with just over $3,500 collected.

“Last year was for NEGU, which is a foundation that was dear to us as they sent us joy jars when my daughter was fighting,” Juliana’s mother Cara Garcia said. “She would go around the house singing, ‘never ever give up’, which is what NEGU stands for.”

The family chose the Gold Rush Cure this year to be the recipient of the funds it raises at the Lemonade Stand. Cara learned about the group during a retreat for mothers of children fighting cancer.

The Gold Rush Cure has delivered 1,000 “Pots of Gold” and is represented in 129 hospitals nationwide. It operates entirely through volunteer efforts without paying any salaries.

Donations for the Lemonade Stand fundraiser can be made by reaching out to the Garcia family at 951-541-8478 or by showing up at the Lemonade Stand on Sunday.

Juliana’s remarkable journey and her family’s dedication to raising funds for childhood cancer organizations serve as an inspiration to the community, highlighting the power of love, resilience, and the unity of a tight-knit community against the scourge of childhood cancer.