Most of the time when CBS 11 News brings you cancer stories, we talk about adults' struggles. But cancer does not just affect adults; it also affects the very young.

It has now been exactly two years since a small Raspberry neighborhood did something huge for a little boy. Cancer, specifically leukemia, was killing the five-and-a-half-year-old. His doctors told his family he probably would not make it to his favorite holiday: Halloween.

So the family passed around a few flyers. They thought maybe a dozen houses would allow the little boy to trick or treat early.

Instead, they were totally unprepared for the response that still follows today.

    "Trick or treat!"
    "You
    Ian's mom, Joyce Durcanin-Robbins.
    like candy too? There you go, sweetie."
    "Hi, trick or treat."
    "Hey, watch out."
    "Trick or treat. Trick or treat."
    "Put a piece in there."

With every piece of candy, you can tell how much Ian Robbins loves trick or treating.

"This is a picture of my son, Ian. It was taken two years ago at our first early Halloween," said Ian's mom, Joyce Durcanin-Robbins, referring to a photo.

Two years after leukemia took Ian, he's still trick or treating. What started as an early celebration is now a living memorial.

"Speaking very candidly. This is just a day that I get to remember Ian, and talk about him to other people. There are a lot of stories out there. And through this Trick or Treat in the Heat, as we're knocking on our neighbors' doors, we're hearing, 'Oh I'm a cancer survivor,' or, 'Let me tell you about my niece, because she didn't make it,'" said Durcanin-Robbins.

Through Ian's death, early Halloween has now transformed into an important childhood cancer awareness tool.

"There are kids being diagnosed every month here in Alaska with childhood cancer.

And these kids have a long road ahead of them," said Kris Green of Alaska Children's Hospital.

With childhood cancer, Children's Hospital officials remind parents to look out for early warning signs:

    ...including long periods where your child lacks energy and generally does not feel well.
    Look out for:
    -bruising.
    -headaches.
    - vision problems.
    - dizziness.

"As parents, you've got to trust your gut; trust what you know about your child. You know when something's not quite right. So trust those instincts," said Durcanin-Robbins.

"A lot of ways, it brings an awareness that cancer does affect small children," said Pamela Gepert whose child has cancer.

Gepert's little girl

was born with a deadly brain tumor, but seven years later, she's out with all these kids trick or treating.

"I remember my husband and her were hoping she'd make it to see kindergarten. And she's in first grade now. So things are looking good," said Gepert.

"It's kind of like when you lose someone, there's a hole. And certainly, over time, the edges become a little rough. But there's still that void there. And this is one way we get to fill in that hole a little bit," said Durcanin-Robbins.

Eight thousand dollars was raised during the event.