Anna Day was in third grade when she learned her 9-month-old sister, Isabella, had cancer. Day, now 16, has watched her sister struggle with the illness throughout her childhood.
“I believe that if we had more studies and work with childhood cancer research, then my sister still wouldn’t have cancer today,” Day said.
It was that thought that inspired her to do something about what she called a "lack of funding" for kids just like her sister. She started Anna’s Bake Sale. "I was really upset that so little funding goes to childhood cancer research," she said.
Anna’s Bake Sale started as something she and her family did: bake goodies and sell them. That quickly turned into generous donations, and Day realized she had a bigger platform than she could have ever dreamed.
Day has raised more than $40,000 since she started Anna’s Bake Sale back in 2015. It has since grown into Anna’s Bake Sale Foundation, a 501c3.
“We set up outside of Chick-Fil-A in Waxahachie and we sell our baked goods, and then afterward we delegate where and what studies we want to give to,” Day explained.
While she continues to bake, she prays her efforts will help find a cure for pediatric cancer. Day says she is going to keep spreading her message to anyone who will listen.
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“We always say in my family that we have two choices. We can either sulk around and be really upset about what’s happening, or we can turn it into something good and be able to give back,” Day said.
Anna’s Bake Sale Foundation has an event coming up Saturday, July 27 at Hawaiian Falls in Mansfield. Her big, annual fundraiser will be held during Childhood Cancer Awareness month on Sept. 21 at the Chick-Fil-A in Waxahachie from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
