Hello everyone this is Lakin Cunningham. I am a 15-year-old cowgirl and sister to a childhood cancer survivor from Kansas. I have been selected as one of the Team Leaders for Professional Barrel Racer Hailey Kinsel’s We Can Help Campaign. If you don’t know what this campaign is for here is a little bit of information.

We Can Help was started by Hailey herself so girls ages 13-18 in the horse industry could help make a difference in the world. She selected 5 Team Leaders from over 450 applicants. Our job as Team Leaders is to help raise awareness and raise money for a given cause. Hailey selected me to do Childhood Cancer and from there I had to choose an organization associated with Childhood Cancer, which is near and dear to my heart as my brother Lane is a stage IV cancer survivor. I have chose to do the organization Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which my family has volunteered with since I was 4 years old and Lane was battling cancer. A little but about ALSF:

ALSF is a nationally-known foundation, that was started by Alex Scott, a little girl that battled the same type of cancer my brother did. She was diagnosed at 12 months of age, about the same age Lane was. When Alex was fighting cancer at age 4 she told her parents she wanted to raise money to help her hospital find cures so she and her siblings started doing lemonade stands. Before she died, she had a goal to raise $1 million for cancer research. Though she didn't win her battle and passed away at age 8 after battling cancer her entire life, Alex with her family and friends and a nationwide effort did meet her goal. Her family now continues the foundation in her name and I was able to meet her mom Liz a few years ago when I was volunteering.

Through the We Can Help campaign I'm holding this fundraiser to help Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation move one step closer to finding a cure for all children with cancer!

You can join me by helping me in the following ways:

1) Making a secure online, tax-deductible donation right through this page. 

2) Attending the Southeastern Kansas Little Britches Rodeo in Humansville, Mo on Nov. 4 and wearing GOLD in support of children with cancer AND making a donation to our cause at that event.

3) Donating an item or service to our online FB Benefit Auction that will be the week of Thanksgiving and conclude on Cyber Monday, Nov. 26.

4)Sharing our online FB auction, this page or info about our barrel race with your friends and family through social media so help get the word out.

5) Bidding/purchasing an item through our online FB Benefit Auction.

6) Attending our Run for Gold Added Money Benefit Barrel Race, Pole Bending and Goat Tying that will be on Dec. 1 at Lowe's Arena in Louisburg, KS. Competiting at the event and/or purchasing something from the concession stand will all help ALSF!!

7) Coordinating an event in your area to help us out!! Maybe a Hat Day or Lemonade Stand at your school or passing a Gold Boot or Hat through the grand stands at a rodeo and asking for donations. There are so many ways to help!!!

The money you donate or help raise will pay for research to find better treatments and cures for childhood cancer. Please help kids and their families by providing desperately needed hope! I would really really appreciate it if we could try and raise as much awareness and as much donations as possible as this is for a very very good cause and show Hailey that we do want to make a difference in the lives of kids with cancer!!

Thank you guys so much in advance!! - Lakin Cunningham