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Qualicum Beach siblings support Children’s Hospital, RMH

Lemonade stand this Saturday
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From left: Owen, Gus, Caleb and Eliza at their lemonade stand on Monday. The four siblings will be runninng the stand again this Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. on Qualicum Road between Rupert and Mant roads. — Katrina Batey photo

Four Qualicum Beach siblings want to give back to those who helped their little brother.

August Batey — known as Gus to everyone else — was diagnosed with leukemia in May. Gus, 3, and his siblings, 10-year-old Owen, eight-year-old Caleb and six-year-old Eliza, decided to give back to B.C. Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House.

The four siblings set up their lemonade stand on Monday (July 24), said mom Katrina. She added that Owen was outside for five hours, but the younger kids didn’t make it as long.

“It was all of their idea and the three big kids made the sign and set it up themselves,” Katrina said.

She said the family owns Naked Naturals, so she told the kids they would donate the lemonade to the children.

“I think they’ve always wanted to do a lemonade stand. It’s one of those classic kid things that they’ve always wanted to do.”

In total, the Batey children raised $263.10, but they have a goal of $1,000, Katrina said.

“They are dividing it between Ronald McDonald House and B.C. Children’s (Hospital),” Katrina said. “Leukemia patients are mostly outpatients, but because they need treatment at B.C. Children’s, they go to the outpatient clinic at B.C. Children’s and stay at Ronald McDonald House while they receive treatment.”

The Batey children will be running another lemonade stand this Saturday (July 29) from noon to 5 p.m. on Qualicum Road between Rupert and Mant roads. The lemonade is by donation.

Katrina said Gus, who is heading back to B.C. Children’s Hospital next week, will be entering a new phase of treatment.

“He’ll be in active, front-line chemotherapy for at least six more months and he has a total of three more years of chemo,” she said.

But, Katrina said, Gus’ treatment so far is “by-the-book.”

“He, unfortunately, had a staff infection so he was hospitalized for a month for that,” she said. “With each treatment, we sort of have to see how he reacts to chemo before we know when we can come home again.”



Lauren Collins

About the Author: Lauren Collins

I'm a provincial reporter for Black Press Media's national team, after my journalism career took me across B.C. since I was 19 years old.
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