The young Afghan boy dying from cancer, who has won the hearts of Canadians nationwide, could be receiving palliative care a Pakistan hospital within days.

In the meantime though, Namatullah, whose name means "gift from God," has taken a turn for the worse.

Dr. Adrian Norbash and his staff received an unexpected call to the gate at Canada's military base in Afghanistan just before sunset on Monday.

Taj Mohammad told the physician his grandson, who has been diagnosed with advanced facial cancer, was suffering a severe stomach ache because the painkillers had worn off.

While Norbash ordered more medicine, the boy's relief will be merely temporary as his prognosis is grim.

On Saturday, Namatullah and his grandfather travelled five kilometres from their home to reach the Canadian base in the hopes that doctors could help him.

Doctors treated the six-year-old but found the facial cancer was too advanced to save him.

They decided the best solution was to move the boy to a palliative care hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, where nurses could administer painkillers to ease his suffering in the last days of his life.

But doctors estimated it would cost $100 US per day -- a sum that was far too steep for Namatullah's family to afford.

Cpl. Brian Sanders, an ambulance driver at the base, took photographs of the boy and e-mailed them to the North Edmonton Christian Fellowship church, where he worships when not on a deployment, asking the pastor if he could lead efforts to raise donations.

The result was an overwhelming show of compassion. The church has raised more than $10,000 to date, guaranteeing that the boy's family now has enough money to pay for proper palliative care.

"We certainly have enough funds to get him there ... to get him admitted for however long is necessary," Norbash told CTV News.

The money will be transferred to a military bank account on Tuesday and the boy could be at the hospital within days.

When Taj Mohammed learned of Canada's compassion, he was overwhelmed with relief.

He told CTV News that after witnessing three decades of war, it was the first time he felt another nation had gone to Afghanistan with pure intentions.

Sanders' church has agreed to take further donations:

North Edmonton Christian Fellowship
Pastor: Doug Siggellkow
9004 - 153 Avenue
Edmonton, Alta. T5Z 3L6
(780) 456-7890

With a report from CTV's Lisa LaFlamme