This Edmonton girl is raising money for the Ben Stelter Fund and became friends with Evander Kane

Cecily Eklund likes to help people, and she's using her experiences as a kid with cancer to raise money for other families in the same situation.

Since being diagnosed with brain cancer at age six, Cecily has raised more than $86,000 for charity and she is hoping to raise another $10,000 before her 10th birthday in March.

"For Cecily, I think giving back is healing," her mother, Cathy Eklund, said. "It lets her comprehend what she's gone through and do something about it that's very positive."

"Not all kids feel inclined to help other people, not all adults feel inclined to help other people, so to have a child inspire you to be a better person as a parent, as an adult, it's really magical."

Cecily's fundraising started with selling weighted dolls and stuffed dogs for kids in hospitals, which Cecily made herself and were safe for kids to take into MRI machines.

Over the last three years, she's also held a toy drive and fundraised with the Edmonton Police Foundation. In addition to the dogs and dolls, she also sells "Fight Like a Kid" patches on her Instagram account.

It makes her happy to help people, Cecily said.

"You don't have to be rich, you don't have to be smart, you just have to be kind," she added.

'I REALLY ENJOY SPENDING TIME WITH HER'

Her hard work and kindness recently caught the attention of Edmonton Oilers' forward Evander Kane and the pair became fast friends last month at an Oilers game.

It was a pleasure to meet a truly inspiring young lady in Cecily who is raising money to help kids like her. She hand makes cute little stuffed animals and special patches to help raise funds. We’re all rooting for you. pic.twitter.com/mWWzkMM2KL

— Evander Kane (@evanderkane) December 16, 2022

"We got introduced in the press box and then she gave me a couple of puppies that she was selling off during the raffles," Kane said. "She gifted them to my kids and I thought that was very sweet."

To return the kindness, he gifted Cecily an autographed jersey and on Tuesday he gave her a private skating lesson at Rogers Place.

"I thought she did great for her second time on the ice," Kane said. "Just her spirit and charisma, she's like an incredible energy to have around, so I really enjoy spending time with her."

Cathy said the friendship between her daughter with Kane was unexpected but appreciated.

"He is such a wonderful person," Cathy said. "And that he was willing to just step up and help her with her fundraiser is more than we could have ever imagined."

"When he got the scar, I gave him a patch that said 'Scars are tattoos with better stories.'" Cecily said.

I made a special dolly that has the same #childhoodcancer scar as me! She wears her @evanderkane jersey to be brave. I am bringing her to the @EdmontonOilers game tonight for luck, and to the hospital with me later this week for good luck there too <3 #Oilers pic.twitter.com/xRU74I1ecV

— Simply Cecily (@simply_cecily) January 3, 2023

Recently Kane donated to Cecily's newest fundraiser for the Ben Stelter Fund.

"That type of hard work and effort to help provide funds for kids like herself is incredible," Kane said. "I think she deserves so much credit and I think this is going to be a friendship that we have forever."

Donations can be made to the Stollery Children's Hospital or by purchasing a puppy or patch through a donation on her Instagram. Supports can also take the $10 challenge, where a $10 donation enters you to win a special stuffed dog made by Cecily.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nahreman Issa