DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Two South Florida organizations partnered together to help fight cancer with an ice cream social fundraiser in Doral, Saturday.
“We are here at Sloan’s in CityPlace Doral, celebrating life,” said We Care Chemo Kits co-founder Lucy Reyes. “My twin sister Gisenia Reyes was diagnosed with AML — acute myeloid leukemia — and we spent all of 2016 in the hospital, and because of this, we’ve been able to turn it into a nonprofit to help the community overcome cancer.”
Gisenia Reyes is one of the co-founders of We Care Chemo Kits, an organization she helped create after recently beating the disease.
“We’re just ecstatic to have my twin sister here that saved my life,” said Gisenia. “My twin sister saved my life, and she was my stem cell donor. So, because of that, I am able to be here alive, making a difference in the community with all these people that you see around here making a difference.”
The women created chemo kits to help make a difference in the lives of people who are still battling cancer.
“In a We Care Chemo Kit we have items that are practical, educational and inspirational items. With that, we serve to inspire joy, happiness and love,” said Gisenia. “There are activity items to keep the cancer patients busy. Many of these patients are in the hospital for 30 days at a time. I spent over a hundred days, collectively, in the hospital, so I understand first-hand what it is to be in a hospital room. Sometimes you’re not even allowed go out because you’re so immunosuppressed. So these items go beyond just a gift — it’s a gift of life, a gift of a smile.”
Live Like Bella Childhood Cancer Foundation teamed up with We Care Chemo Kits to raise money for cancer research while putting together hundreds of kits for patients of all ages, including cancer survivor Marielena Rado.
“Actually, I was actually the first one to receive one, and it was amazing,” said Rado. “It just lit up my day, changed my whole outlook for the day. Really meant a lot.”
Rado met Gisenia Reyes while they were both receiving treatment. On Saturday’s event, they got an extra scoop of ice cream to celebrate a special anniversary together — one full, cancer-free year.
“That makes me feel amazing,” said Gisenia. “She was actually my neighbor in the hospital, and that’s how we met — in the hospital — and we are now lifelong friends. And just to see her healthy, strong, see us alive, I love her so much.”
This was the organization’s first ice cream social fundraiser. They hope to put together more than 200 chemo kits with the money raised.
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