Fort Smith, N.W.T., rallies for 5-year-old boy after leukemia diagnosis

People in Fort Smith, N.W.T., have stepped up to help a local family after their five-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia.

"It was incredible. I still don't really have words for it," said Jolene Bourque, who is a committee member with Fireweed Festival, an annual music festival that takes place in August in Fort Smith.

She alsohelped organize a "Love for Liam" carnival fundraiser earlier this monthin the community, which raised more than $16,000 for Liam Heron.

Liamwas diagnosed with leukemia in early June, after he wasmedevaced to Edmonton.

"My heart hurts so much," wrote his mother Katie Reid on Facebook at the time."Hug and love your babies they are precious."

Bourquesaid the carnival event on July 15 came together quickly. They hit the ground running, she said, and the community was eager to show its support. They even managed to organize a dunk tank which was made by local contractor and event organizer,Colter Freund.

"Fort Smith really can come together in a crisis and help people, and it's really beautiful to see," she said.

For Bourque, it was a chance to give back to a community that supported her family eight years ago, when she was experiencing her ownhealth crisis.

"The community rallied together and helped me and helped my family when I was down there, and so it's always in the back of my mind to give back every chance I have," Bourque said.

Liam's family was unable to do an interview, butReid offered a statement.

"We are blown away by the support of our community. We wish we could have attended the carnival and want to thank everyone involved and everyone who has thought of Liam and reached out," she wrote.

Reid also wrote on social media: "We are so blessed to call Fort Smith home! The community and the people are love and magic."

Fort Smith's "Where the Heart Is" fundraising group, run by Jenny Cumming and her daughter Shelly, also organized an onlinefundraiserfor Liam. Theyraised more than$5,000 through community donations and auction.

The money raised at the July 15 fundraiser and online auction will help with day to day living expenses.

"As a parent, you want toput 100 per centof your focus into your baby and not any kind of power bill or stresses back home," said Bourque.

She said she is still amazed at the success of the fundraising carnival and hopes Liam's family "felt the love."

"The giggles and the love that we were able to send that day, and the little kids having so much fun, I just hope that all of that energy was sent back to the family for their time in need too," Bourque said.