CAMBRIDGE -- The family and friends of a Cambridge boy with cancer are bringing the holidays to him early this weekend.
Dominic DaCosta is five years old.
"He's had many treatments, gone through chemotherapy," his cousin, Christina DaCosta-Alessandrini said.
DaCosta was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma when he was two. Earlier this month, his family found out the cancer had spread.
"We're keeping up hope and just trying to keep positive," DaCosta-Alessandrini said. "But, he is in a tough spot."
DaCosta's cousin and her friend Janet Pereira teamed up to plan a Christmas parade this weekend to help keep the boy's spirits up.
"We're really hoping for some really fabulously decorated vehicles that are really going to put a smile on Dominic's face," Pereira said.
The parade will start at Hespeler Memorial arena before driving to DaCosta's house, which will be decorated in Christmas decorations and fake snow.
"Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there," Pereira said. "We're really looking forward to it being really special for him."
"The response has been unbelievable," DaCosta-Alessandrini said. "Janet and I can't keep up with these messages of people wanting to participate. It went from a few hundred, to then I was like, oh my gosh, 500 people and now it's like over a thousand people."
Melanie Ainsworth and her husband heard about the parade online and wanted to participate dressed up as the Grinch.
"I love helping the community, my daughter is the same age as him, so it really hit close to home when I heard his story," Ainsworth said.
DaCosta's family said they didn't expect the community to come together so quickly.
"I expect goodness in people, but this was more than I could ever imagine," DaCosta-Alessandrini said.
She said she hopes Sunday's parade will be magical for her young cousin.
