DOWNEY - If there’s one thing Lanah Reum likes to do, it's to help others and spread joy to those who are less fortunate.

Lanah, a 7-year-old student at Carpenter Elementary, has been busy at work making beaded bracelets, with the goal of raising money towards this year’s CHOC Walk.

“I’ve been making [bracelets] so I can sell them, so I can get money for kids in the hospital, so they can get out of the hospital,” she said. 

Lanah’s inspiration comes in the form of her cousin Rith.

From an early age, Rith has endeavored with Hemoglobin E Beta Zero Thalassemia, a disorder that causes severe anemia and requires him to receive monthly blood transfusions.

Lanah’s mother, Paula Paz, is walking in her first CHOC Walk this year in honor of Rith. When she told Lanah about the event, she immediately wanted to help.

“It initially started with ‘I want to do bracelets for homeless people,’ and we were going to start doing that,” said Paz. “But then this came, and she said, ‘I want to do that, and then we’ll do homeless people.’” 

The beads that Lanah used were donated primarily from the Buy Nothing Downey Facebook group. She has also received help from her older sister.

Some of her favorite designs include rainbows, hearts, and patterns.

Paz says that her daughter is “really helpful.”

“I’m really, really proud of the decisions she makes,” says Paz. “With the chaos that is going on right now, we need to raise little world-shapers who are out there doing good.”

After CHOC Walk, Lanah intends to focus right back on helping the homeless.

She says helping people “makes her feel happy,” and that she plans on doing it for “a very long time.”

“I like helping people because I need them to have food, water and shelter,” said Lanah.

Those interested in donating to Lanah and her mother‘s CHOC Walk campaign can donate at www.chocwalk.org/Lanitahlabonita.