JACKSON, Wis. — Coffee with a cause — an effort to help community members battling cancer in southeastern Wisconsin.
Coffeville in Jackson is raising money for a three-year-old Cedarburg toddler through their specialty drink fundraiser program.
"[We] took him to the doctor to get some blood work, and they said he is showing signs of leukemia," Kaila Larson said. "So, it was a shock. We didn't expect it."
Kaila's son, Milo Larson, is the next "Coffee with a Cause" fundraiser recipient.
"It's been hard," Kaila said. "It kind of flips your family upside down. We just take it week by week and sometimes day by day. The treatment is a lot this first year."
People can purchase his specialty drink called "The Mighty Milo," and the money will help his family pay for medical bills.
Watch: Coffeville customers battling cancer benefit from 'Coffee for a Cause' campaign
Ashley Meller understands what Milo and his family are going through. She is living with thyroid cancer.
"I can't even describe it because it's so touching," Meller said. "It's been a very big life shock to me. I feel like I had my full future set up, and it really hit."
Meller is in remission after undergoing surgery, radiation and other treatments in her young adult life. On Monday, the Coffeville Company staff presented her with a $3,000 check for being the previous Coffee with a Cause subject, called "Ashley's Latte."
The West Bend native is still dealing with expensive medical bills, something she hopes future Coffee with a Cause recipients can get help with through Coffeville's word-of-mouth campaign.
"They shouldn't have to be paying an arm and a leg to get the treatment that they need to survive," she said. "If I didn't have the surgery, if other people don't have the treatments that they get, they don't have the full lifespan or the ability to live the life they deserve."
Mighty Milo's campaign will last for three months at the Coffeville locations in Jackson and Brookfield.
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