Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 11/02) - Christmas came to the Moraffs after all.

A Yellowknifer story on the plight of the local family awaiting the birth of their second child as their first began a battle with cancer touched the hearts of many residents and former residents of the city.

In happier times last summer, the Moraff family's spirits picked up over the holiday with the birth of Star, a baby sister for their son, Montana. He continues his battle in Edmonton with a rare form of lung cancer. - photo courtesy of the Moraff family

"There was overwhelming support after it came out and we want to thank everybody who responded to that nice writing," said Lorna Moraff.

As supportive as the response was, Lorna's and her husband Dennis's spirits were buoyed most by a sequence of events in the days before Christmas.

On Dec. 22, their son, Montana, had responded well enough to his third course of chemotherapy to leave the University of Alberta Hospital as an outpatient. He had been there for all but half a day since being medevaced from Yellowknife Oct. 28

That boost doubled in the wee hours of Dec. 24, when the family gathered for the smooth delivery of its newest addition, Star Therese Moraff. She checked into the world at 1:44 a.m. at a healthy eight pounds eight ounces.

By Christmas afternoon Lorna, Dennis, Montana and Star were together at the Edmonton condominium that has become their home away from home.

"The timing was just too good," said Dennis, a Giant mine worker. "(Montana) was ecstatic. When people ask him 'How was your Christmas? Did you get any toys?' he says, 'I got something better than a toy, I got a baby sister.'"

Lorna and Dennis Moraff gave particular thanks to the local Filipino community, Dr. Terri Farrell (their family physician, who visited the family over the holidays) and the staffs of Miramar and the TD Bank.

"There's other Yellowknifers who, to be truthful, we don't know, who have been helping out, sending cards and giving us moral support," Dennis said.

One of Lorna's TD Bank clients sent a particularly touching letter, relating his daughter's successful battle against cancer.

When it appeared on the Northern News Services Web site, responses came in from former Yellowknifers now living in the South.

In addition to the cards and letters of support, a call from the union for financial support for the family resulted in $5,000-$6,000 in contributions.

Lorna's mother will be staying with the family to help out until the end of the month. Earlier this week, Dennis's brother flew in from Halifax to lend him some moral support. He took Dennis out to witness the visiting Montreal Canadiens do battle with the Oilers.

"Going into the third period his Habs had a 6-3 lead, and the Oilers came back and womped them, 7-6," said Dennis, making no attempt to disguise his glee.

Montana returned to the hospital Tuesday for his fourth round of chemotherapy Tuesday afternoon.

His parents hope he will respond as well as he did to his third round. Then he began eating solid food regularly for the first time since being admitted to hospital, regaining some of the 11 pounds he had shed from his 45-pound frame.