Lakie raising funds for Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta
G.S. Lakie Middle School hosted a special FISH Friday event on Jan. 20.
Lakie staff members Sheridan Mustard and Courtney Wehlage had their hair cut on stage to raise awareness for childhood cancer.
The event was part of an ongoing Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta fundraiser at Lakie, which has so far raised over $800.
The foundation was selected after Laie teacher Lori Adamson lost her seven-month-old granddaughter to a rare form of kidney cancer, as staff wanted to do something in the hopes of helping to find a cure.
Adamson spoke Friday about her granddaughter, Kinley, who was diagnosed with cancer after she had an operation to remove a kidney.
“We didn’t know anything about babies getting cancer,” Adamson told students gathered for FISH Friday, who added her daughter and son-in-law were at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary when they learned about the Kids Cancer Care Foundation. “They decided to do a fundraiser for that foundation, asking people to cut their hair and donate it to places that make wigs for kids with cancer.”
Kinley had a very rare form of cancer, and died on Nov. 12.
“Our family wants to do what we can to make sure others do not have to have the same outcome as us,” said Adamson. “The statistics show that more and more children survive a cancer diagnosis. In fact, more than 85 per cent do. We are raising awareness for the organizations that helped us and we are also raising money to help research cures.”
In order to support the Kids Cancer Care Foundation, a team called Kinley’s Quest to Cure the Kids was created.
“That team is made up of people, like Ms. Mustard and myself, who have decided to cut or shave their hair,” said Wehlage. “Kinley’s team has over 20 members and most of them had enough hair to cut that they were able to donate it to organizations that make wigs for kids with cancer.”
Kinley’s Quest has raised over $30,000.
“So today, Ms. Mustard and I decided to cut our hair and donate it to a company that makes wigs for children who are fighting cancer,” said Wehlage. “Our hope is that people will ask us about our new do and we can help raise awareness of childhood cancer.”
Kristi Wolsey from Prim Hair Salon was on hand to give Mustard and Wehlage their new haircuts.
Grade 8 Lakie student Sarah Gilmour also spoke about her brother, Ben, and his successful battle with cancer, and the support her family received from the Kids Cancer Care Foundation, which also operates Camp Kindle, which once hosted the Gilmour family.
For more information about the G.S. Lakie Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta fundraiser, please click on the following link: LAKIE.
Kids Cancer Care
