CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Pool time is sacred for Kingston Forrest of Charlotte. Like most 6-year-olds, he's got a lot of energy.

It's these moments Kingston's mom Michelle cherishes the most. She wasn't sure she would get to see them. Just before his first birthday, doctors diagnosed Kingston with leukemia.

It's almost like I heard it but everything kind of stopped and stood still at that moment,” said Michelle Forrest.

For Kingston it meant multiple rounds of treatment for his initial diagnoses, and again when he relapsed twice. Today, he's cancer-free.

It was a process that could cloud a person's outlook on life. For Kingston, it was just a bump in the road.

“He still got up. He still wanted to play. He ran the hallways. He had this little toy car. I think he was resilient,” Michelle said.

While Kingston isn't quite old enough to grasp what he went through, he and his mom are focused on others.

“There's not many people in her situation with all that she has going on would take the time to do that,” said Pinky Swear North Carolina Area Director Sue Ratcliff.

The organization provides financial and emotional support to families who have a child with cancer. The Forrests were one of the first families Ratcliff worked with.

The two regularly volunteer with Pinky Swear, raise money for the organization and Michelle offers support to other families.

“Don't judge a book by its cover because you never know what someone is going through, sometimes help those in need or just give them words of encouragement or advice,” Michelle said.

Kingston may be a little young to give advice, but if his strength in life is anything like his strong swimming skills, he'll soon be a wealth of support.

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