Named Grand-spawnling Extraordinare by his grandmother’s fellow Crab Queens, 8-year-old Grant Thomas raised hundreds of dollars in support of his grandmother’s (Her Royal Highness Gem Queen) fight against cancer.

As part of the local Oak Harbor Crab Queens club of fun-loving women who support various community activities, Gem Queen, aka longtime Oak Harbor resident Ginny Thomas, usually participates with fellow club members in raising pledges for the cancer research fund-raiser, Relay For Life.

This year, however, the walk means so much more as Gem Queen will walk the route after coming through several months of her own battle against cancer. By her side every step of the way will be her grandson, Extraordinare.

After finding out that his grandmother had cancer, Grant, who lives in Gig Harbor, decided that he wanted to do something to help his grandmother. He decided to write a letter and tell fellow students at the Gig Harbor Academy what had happened to his grandmother and how he wanted to help raise money for the Relay For Life.

“My name is Grant Thomas,” he said in a letter he sent out to students in the school. “I am 8-years-old. My grandma has cancer so I am going to walk in the Relay For Life. If you would like to make a donation to the American Cancer Association, there will be an envelope in the second grade classroom. Thanks so much.”

Grant’s mother, Tina Thomas, said Grant received an overwhelming response from classmates, schoolmates and their families.

“It’s been really neat,” she said. “Very special.”

One of Grant’s teachers gave him $100 and a letter commending him for his efforts to fight cancer, and another teacher gave a donation in memory of her own mother who had died of cancer.

“It’s been really neat,” Grant said.

Grant’s fundraising had brought in over $1,500.

“We were really surprised when we counted it all up,” he said, and then he added with unpresumptuous pride in his efforts and achievements, “I think it’s cool for an almost 9-year-old boy to raise that much money.”

And that’s not all.

“We’re still collecting it,” he said. “Everyone’s pitching in.”

Grant said even kids from first grade classes came in and asked where his envelope was so they could donate. When Grant and his mother counted the money, it included everything from pennies to large bills and checks.

Grant said it was like all the kids were working together as a team to help out his grandmother and the Oak Harbor Crab Queens.

“Just like in baseball – you have to work as a team to accomplish a win,” he said.

As far as Grant is concerned, he and his grandmother are winning this fight against cancer.

“Grant and grandma are really close,” he said. The two talk on the phone almost every night.

Gem Queen said she first found out she had pancreatic cancer in November of 2004. When she told her family, they spent the next few months in shock and adjusting to what they had to do to prepare for the months ahead.

“The holidays weren’t exactly that fun,” she said.

On Jan. 8, 2005, Gem Queen underwent surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible and several weeks later, she began her first round of chemotherapy to try and rid her body of the remaining cancer.

“I have a very positive outlook,” she said.

She said with all the prayers and encouragement she has received from family and friends, it would be tough not to be hopeful.

On Saturday, June 3 and 4, Grand-spawnling Extraordinare and his grandmother Her Royal Highness Gem Queen will join other cancer survivors, fighters and their friends and supporters at North Whidbey Middle School in Oak Harbor and participate in the annual Relay For Life.

“This is the first time I’ve ever been this involved,” Grant said. “It’s really been a good experience.”