POCATELLO — Nathan Akina was finishing up plans for his Eagle Scout project to bring children’s books to the kindergarten at Fort Hall when he started to have stomach problems. His mother suspected the advanced-placement student, who was preparing for a national dance competition, was suffering from stress. It was cancer.

     Doctors determined last May that Nathan had a rare form of leukemia, T-cell acute lymphoblastic. The radiation and chemotherapy began immediately.

    Every week for months, Nathan and his mother, Stephanie, or his father, Shawn, have been making weekly trips to Children’s Primary Hospital in Salt Lake City. The costs have mounted and next door neighbors, Lynn and Jeanine Hebdon, have decided to do something to help.

    And they’re not alone. Next Friday and Saturday, Aug. 16 and 17, a massive yard sale will be held at the Hebdon home at 2130 Sandy Lane to raise money for the Akina family. Donations can be made by calling Hebdon at 339-4841.

    “I was doing some spring cleaning and I thought, ‘Why not sell this?’” Lynn Hebdon said about the launch of the yard sale fundraiser.

    What started as a small idea has grown into a larger effort involving friends, family and the Valleyview Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    “It gives all of us a chance to do something,” Jeanine said.

    Hebdon retired from the U.S. Air Force after more than 20 years as a C-130 pilot, including missions in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. After leaving the service in 1997, Lynn and his wife, who were high school sweethearts at Pocatello High School, returned to the Gate City.

    A few years later, the Akinas moved in next door. The three young Akina children, Nick, Nathan and Hannah, became frequent visitors at the Hebdon home. Lynn said as Nathan grew older, he put him to work helping with the extensive landscaping projects at the Hebdon home.

    “Nathan’s done a lot of work in this yard,” Lynn said. “I’d just point him in the right direction and he’d take care of it.”

    Nathan also took the task of caring for the Hebdon’s Norwegian elkhound, Sadie, seriously when the Hebdons were out of town.

    “He used to take it home and it slept in his bedroom,” Stephanie said.

    Now Nathan is trying to take care of himself.

    “Mostly it’s just energy crushing,” Nathan said. “I’ve been super fatigued most of the time.”

    The days immediately following his chemotherapy are the worst and his hair is gone thanks to the radiation treatments. The chemo treatment requires a lumbar puncture to inject the chemicals directly into Nathan’s spine. The treatments will go on weekly until January and be followed by local treatments for about three years.

    But what bothers Nathan the most is his inability to continue with dancing. He was planning to become a teacher at LaChere’s Fab Five Studio in Pocatello this year.

    “It’s hard to watch him not be able to do what he loves,” Stephanie said about her son.

    To help meet the additional expenses, the Akina family is also planning to sell a rental home they own. To help boost the purchase price, members of the Valleyview Ward have volunteered hours to spruce up that property.

    Lynn said the ward’s Elders Quorum president, Ryan Leavitt, and Nathan’s Scout master, Jeff Keller, have been instrumental in the fundraising effort.

    “It’s a team effort,” he said.

    Fliers calling for yard sale donations to help with Nathan’s expenses have been posted in Pocatello businesses by Lynn and a Facebook page, friendsfornathanfundraiser, has been created. In addition, donations for Nathan can be sent to the ISU Credit Union.

    “We’re overwhelmed with gratitude,” said Stephanie, who is a teacher at Edahow Elementary in Pocatello.

    Nathan struggled to find the words to express his feelings, but managed to say, “I feel really loved.”

    As a teenager, the cancer and treatment has brought another unwelcome obstacle. Nathan has to be careful with his diet. Junk food is off the menu.

    “I have lots of Taco Bell cravings,” Nathan said.

    The efforts to help the Highland High senior get well are drawing his neighborhood together and Lynn Hebdon said it best in the flier he has been circulating.

    “We live in one of the greatest neighborhoods in Pocatello, so let’s come together to help this wonderful family in their time of need,” he wrote.