Twelve-year-old Carson Paul was diagnosed with leukemia a year ago. As a result, he missed all of sixth grade and had to visit the Kaiser Pediatric Oncology Clinic in Fontana as many as four times a week.

Now a seventh grader at El Roble Intermediate School, Carson said he “wanted to give back to my local cancer community.” So, he hosted a lemonade and bake sale last Sunday to raise money for families who need financial support while their child goes through cancer treatment.

The Kaiser clinic in Fontana is the only one in the Inland Empire, which means some families have to drive for an hour or more to get there. So with the money he earns, Carson is going to buy gas and food gift cards for the clinic to give out.

Additionally, September is childhood cancer awareness month. Carson’s mother, Erin Paul, 34, hopes the fundraiser will also raise awareness about pediatric cancer in general.

Leukemia, cancer of the white blood cells, is the most common cancer in children and teens, according to the American Cancer Society. But survival rates for children are high at 85 percent, according to WebMD.

Ms. Paul explained that while her son is feeling better and his cancer is under control, he’s still in the maintenance phase of treatment—undergoing chemotherapy. Carson will continue treatment until January of 2021.

At this stage, Ms. Paul said she is more worried about Carson getting sick because his immune system is so suppressed.

“He still has a long road ahead, so I was touched that he wanted to do something,” Ms. Paul said. “It makes me very proud of him. He’s thinking of someone else besides himself and what others are going through.”

—Meghan Bobrowsky