Fundraiser on Saturday for 3-year-old ‘crushing cancer’

Kinsley McLamore is a runner, a jumper and a climber — a little gymnast like many 3-year-olds.

Leukemia put a pause on that.

Diagnosed on March 21 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the oldest of Rob and Kelsi McLamore’s two young children has been through the wringer with blood and platelet transfusions, lumbar punctures, and chemotherapy treatments she receives through injections into a port in her chest.

“To say she has been a warrior throughout this process is an understatement,” said Kinsley’s grandmother, Lisa Briody.

“She’s the bravest person I know,” said Kelsi McLamore, who, like her husband, is a Wauconda High School graduate now living in Johnsburg. “She has taken this in stride and each day she wakes up with smile despite everything that’s been put in her way and everything that still presents itself moving forward.”

Something that may also make Kinsley smile is the “Kinsley Crushes Cancer” fundraiser from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at Lindy’s Landing in Wauconda.

Organized also to support Kinsley’s friend, Emmy, a 5-year-old family friend diagnosed with leukemia around the same time as Kinsley, proceeds and donations from the fundraiser will go to Alex’s Lemonade Stand to be distributed toward pediatric leukemia research.

Pennsylvania-based Alex’s Lemonade Stand began after a young cancer patient in Connecticut, Alexandra Scott, held a front-yard lemonade stand fundraiser after her fourth birthday.

She died in 2004 at 8 years old, having raised more than $1 million toward childhood cancer research. Alex’s Lemonade Stand has raised more than $300 million altogether.

“Kinsley Crushes Cancer” looks to increase that total with raffles for gift baskets, donations for pitchers of lemonade, and a separate stand outside of Lindy’s built by Rob McLamore.

Lindy’s Landing will donate 10% of food sales proceeds from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday to people who mention the “dine and donate” option.

Entertainment will include “kids karaoke,” children’s activities, music by Isabella Maria and, simply, the Bangs Lake beach Lindy’s Landing opens onto.

“That’s kind of our plan, hang out and raise some money for leukemia research,” Kelsi McLamore said.

Her daughter has come a long way in a short time, since Kinsley was unable to walk or even lift her head in the first month of treatment.

She’s now in the maintenance phase of chemotherapy treatments, about once every 10 days, and is in physical therapy.

Trying to keep up with little brother Cooper provides its own therapy, and on June 3 Kinsley returned to full-day day care for the first time since March 19, two days before her diagnosis.

It helps that Kelsi McLamore is a child and adolescent psychologist who can relay information in an appropriate, meaningful way.

“There’s always a plan,” she said. “We prepare her ahead of time and are open and honest with her.”

The plan is to continue Kinsley’s physical therapy through the end of the year, McLamore said, and to gradually reduce the frequency of chemotherapy treatments until remission is reached, and maintained.

“She’s doing really well,” Kelsi McLamore said.

“People ask, ‘How are you doing?’ and we say, ‘We’re doing good because she’s doing good.’ She’s been like a beam of hope throughout this process. She’s a very, very special girl. We’re very lucky to be her parents.”