'This brings them hope': Lemonade stand raises thousands for cancer research, treatment

Business is booming for a group of three 10-year-old girls selling lemonade in River Heights this summer.

So far, they’ve raised nearly $7,000 for CancerCare Manitoba through an initiative called Lemonade Stands for Hope – a cause that hits close to home for the trio.

“Our moms have cancer – like mine, Ellie’s and my friend Asha’s,” Wynn Mitchell told CTV News. “It’s good that we’re raising money for research and treatment.”

Whipping up pitchers of ice-cold lemonade is their way of pitching in to help.

“When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, I kind of felt like I couldn’t help,” Ellie Whetter said. “But now, I feel like I can help them.”

The girls are involved in every aspect of the business; they mix up the summertime drink, create colourful posters promoting the lemonade stand, and even use the latest technology to maximize donations.

“QR codes really help,” Asha Desai explained. “We made our own QR codes for a link, so they can donate on the spot if they don’t have change.”

Wynn Mitchell, Asha Desai and Ellie Whetter design posters for their next Lemonade Stand for Hope on July 10, 2024. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

However, the lemonade stand is much more than just dollars and cents for the group. They said it’s a way to build friendship, strength in the face of adversity, and most importantly, hope.

“I think there’s a lot of joy,” Cynthia Mitchell, Wynn’s mother, told CTV News. “I think that there’s a lot of pride and excitement, and I think the girls have talked a lot about hope. This brings them hope, but they can also see it’s bringing us hope and hopefully many other families affected by cancer.”

Money raised through Lemonade Stands for Hope funds CancerCare Manitoba research, treatment, and care throughout the province.

Cynthia Mitchell, who was diagnosed with a rare form of bile duct cancer, said CancerCare Manitoba’s work is critical for patients like herself.

“It is really giving me more time with my family," Mitchell said. "Traditional chemotherapy treatments and surgery weren’t effective in my case. So, research for me really is hope. It’s care and it’s what’s keeping me alive.”

 

The girls are organizing one more pop-up lemonade stand for a weekend in August.

A full map of Lemonade Stands for Hope happening throughout the province this summer is available on CancerCare Manitoba’s website. 

Wynn Mitchell, Asha Desai and Ellie Whetter design posters for their next Lemonade Stand for Hope on July 10, 2024. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)