by Ian Elliot
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 24/97) - Yellowknifers have opened their hearts to a Rae family with two extremely sick children.

Louisa Smith, whose 25-year-old daughter, Cindy, is dying of multiple cancers and whose 14-year-old daughter, Loretta, is on daily dialysis while she awaits two new kidneys, has received money and Christmas gifts from Yellowknifers since her story was made public last week.

Moved by the family's desperate Christmas plight, some 30 people have donated a total of about $1,000 in cash to the family. The family has also received a Christmas turkey, decorations and food from city residents.

"I think it has been a pretty good response," said Father Basil Boudreau, pastor of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, which is serving as the drop-off point for donations.

"People can't help the family with the emotional or spiritual stress that they must certainly be going through, but they can help them in other ways."

The family also received a food hamper from the Salvation Army and another gift of food from the nurses in Rae.

Smith said this week she is grateful for the help as she tries to ensure her eldest daughter enjoys what will probably be her last Christmas.

"Cindy's doing better on the medication, she doesn't have as much pain and I hope she stays that way," Smith said. Cindy's two-year-old son has been encouraging his mother to eat and is keeping up the sick woman's spirits, she said.

She has brought both daughters home to celebrate Christmas with the family, but because neither she nor her husband is able to work given the state of the family's health, their finances are exhausted and there is no end in sight to the family's expenses.

Her daughter's kidney transplant has been postponed.

Smith said that when that operation does take place, she will have to stay with the girl in Edmonton for as long as three months.

Three of her eight children, including Loretta, suffer from Lawrence-Moon-Biedle Syndrome, a genetic disorder which causes problems such as congenital heart and vision problems.

Donations to the family can be dropped off at the church or the parish hall or money can be deposited directly into account 7368739 at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce branch in Yellowknife.