Every year, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society puts on a Man and Woman of the Year contest, where candidates attempt to raise the most money for the charity during a nine-week period. This year, members of Cyclone Nation are getting in on the action.

Dean Albrecht, father of Lexi Albrecht, who is a junior guard on the ISU women’s basketball team, is a candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man of the Year.

In an effort to raise money for the cause, the family came up with the idea of putting on a basketball camp with the proceeds going toward Dean’s Man of the Year campaign and ultimately the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

They came to Lyndsey (Medders) Fennelly, who will run the camp with some ISU athletes, who will serve as camp counselors at the event.

“Its humbling,” Fennelly said. “I was thrilled when they reached out to me and I was excited to be a part of it.”

Camp for a Cure will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. May 3 at the All Iowa Attack Fieldhouse.

Per NCAA rules, Iowa State could not say which athletes would be at the camp serving as counselors.

Bryce Block, who is dating Lexi, was instrumental in bringing the camp to fruition.

“It was a lot to make it happen,” Block said. “It’s been really rewarding … it’s been a good thing to be a part of.”

From creating flyers to finding a gym to camp registration, Block and Albrecht family members have put in a lot of time and effort into the camp.

But it’s been worth it for the family, which has been personally effected by the disease. In 2012, Dean was diagnosed with, and later beat, Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma.

Given Lexi’s status as an ISU athlete, it only seemed natural to try to include sports in the money raising effort.

“We decided it would be good to do a basketball camp to raise money for the cause,” Block said.

Fennelly, who was an All-American at Iowa State and now trains local athletes, has known the Albrecht family for more than 10 years. When the family asked for her help, she was all in.

“I said I’ll volunteer as much of my time and I’m obviously leading the clinical,” Fennelly said. “It’s been fun and I’m just hoping we get a lot of people in the gym.”

With Fennelly volunteering her skills, ISU athletes offering their services as camp counselors and free gym access courtesy of the All Iowa Attack, all proceeds will go toward Dean Albrecht’s Man of the Year campaign and ultimately, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

In addition to putting money toward a good cause, Fennelly is also excited to get a chance to work with the youth and develop their basketball skills.

Fennelly said she does not have a specific monetary goal or a goal for the number of camp attendees.

Instead, she hopes to raise whatever money the camp can and provide a good experience for the campers.

“I hope that people walk out of the gym at [9:01 p.m. Sunday] feeling good about themselves,” Fennelly said.