An Edmonton boy has been using his artistic skills to help support a young friend fighting cancer.
Amber MacNeil has been battling a brain tumour for the past couple of years but just as she finished her radiation the family found out their 3-year-old girl has Leukemia.
Amber said she was initially diagnosed in May of 2011 and underwent surgery at that time only to discover a couple months later she would need more treatment.
“The tumour had grown within a couple short months so I had another 14-hour brain surgery on August 15.”
However, in May of this year, Amber was told the tumour had grown again.
She underwent radiation, which wrapped up in September, but the family’s health battles were not over.
In early November, they discovered their daughter, Kyla, had Leukemia.
“It was just extremely overwhelming,” Amber said.
“The first few days was extremely hard. I think it was harder than when I was diagnosed with my stuff.”
Four-year-old Max, a family friend, decided he would help Amber and Kyla battle their monsters.
With the help of his mom, Julie, Max has been selling some of his drawings online to raise money for the MacNeils.
“It's a lot of work, actually. To fill all these orders is going to be a big task, but I'm really proud of him,” Julie Rohr said.
It is a decision that has left Amber speechless.
“There are not even words. Thank you seems too small.”
Amber said the money will go towards Kyla’s treatment.
“She is on a two and half year journey with medications and chemotherapy and all of those things we have to pay for.”
She said the family was simply taking it one step at a time.
“Just trusting that somehow we are going to get through this.”
According to their Facebook page, Max and Julie have raised $1,900 so far.
With files from Sarah Richter
