Cassidy Evans from Saskatoon is trying to make a difference, one glass of lemonade at a time.
The 11-year-old describes her homemade brew as being tart, but in a good way.
“It is kind of a secret recipe,” she said. “We have lemons, the water and a secret touch that we put into it.”
Cassidy’s Lemonade Stand has evolved from a wooden stand on the street to a white lemonade truck that travels to events in Saskatchewan raising money for cystic fibrosis.
Cassidy’s mother, Kimberly Evans, said she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age four and began selling lemonade a year later as her way to help.
“She just has this beautiful spirit about her,” she said. “Cassidy wants to let people know what cystic fibrosis is, she wants to be an advocate and to find a cure. That is our reason for doing it.”
Cassidy has raised $75,000 for cystic fibrosis research over the past six years through her lemonade sales.
Kimberly explained cystic fibrosis is a fatal genetic disease that affects a person’s lungs and digestive system.
“Cassidy’s body has to work hard every single day,” she said. “She has to work harder than anyone else which makes it even that more miraculous that she can keep that level of energy when her body is on overdrive all the time.”
Cystic fibrosis affects approximately 130 people in Saskatchewan.
Cassidy explained she spends almost three hours a day doing treatments to help manage her cystic fibrosis.
Kimberly hopes her daughter’s actions can help inspire others and someday find a cure.
“She’s excited that she gets to be a part of things,” she said. “For me as a parent, this is best case scenario because we want her to see joy and she can see light in things that are really dark.”
More information on the events Cassidy’s Lemonade Stand attends is available on her website.