Yellowknife (Mar 08/06) - Yellowknife resident Tessa Moss understands the meaning of community.

The fourteen-year-old is in an Edmonton hospital with a failing liver due to a rare disorder called "polycythemia ruba vera," a condition marked by an overproduction of red blood cells that results in damaging blood clots.

The Raven Pub's Jacquie Fontana shows off the "Team Up For Tessa" sign posted on the wall at the Raven Pub on March 4. Family and friends gathered at the pub to raise money for Tessa Moss and her family. - photo courtesy of Shelley Cunningham

Doctors placed her on the waiting list for a liver transplant on Jan. 16 following two major surgeries.

Friends, co-workers and neighbours organized a fundraiser at the Raven Pub on the weekend to assist Tessa's parents, Marcia and Gary Moss, with the costs of staying close to their daughter in Edmonton.

"The event went really, really well," said Sheila Pruden, the Moss' next door neighbour and a long-time family friend.

Volunteers supplied tables full of homemade food and area businesses donated dozens of prizes and giveaways.

As the last of the donations trickle in this week, organizers estimate the event raised more than $25,000.

"We're very happy with the numbers," said co-ordinator Al Cunningham. "It was an unbelievable afternoon. We had people actually just opening the front door and handing us envelopes full of money."

Marcia Moss, who remained in Edmonton with her daughter during the fundraiser, said her family is "overwhelmed."

"The community, once they find out about something, their generosity is just enormous," she said.

"Something that was going to be small turned out huge."

This story of Yellowknife generosity doesn't end here.

When Tessa learned of the money raised for her family, she asked her mom if she could share it with baby Ethan.

For the first months of his life, Ethan has lived down the hall from Tessa's hospital room. The infant is going through a triple organ transplant as his parents, also Yellowknife residents, wait for him to heal.

"Tessa would like to give something to the family," Marcia said. "'What about Ethan?' is what she kept on saying (upon learning of the funds raised on her behalf). I told her that it's her decision if she wants to give something to his family to help them out."

Marcia said that both Ethan and Tessa are doing well this week.

"Now it's just the waiting game," she said.