Local residents joined a nationwide audience Sunday night as the Byers family's new home was featured on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

When the camera crews rolled into Corvallis in July, crowds gathered around the Byers home in Lewisburg. Many were there to watch, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the show's celebrity hosts, but many more were hoping to somehow participate in building 8-year-old Jenessa "Boey" Byers and her family a brand-new home.

Boey suffers from a rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer, and makes frequent trips for treatment to Portland. When she's home, she needs a sterile environment to keep healthy. Her brother's asthma required similarly clean conditions. But mold and damp were infiltrating the Byers house, making it an unsafe place for the children to live.

With the help of thousands of volunteers and homebuilders, the "Extreme Makeover" crew built the Byers family a home in seven days. Returning from a luxury vacation - courtesy of ABC - the family found a beautiful, bright and airy home waiting for them.

They also found the community standing by to embrace them and support them in whatever way they need as Boey continues her fight against the cancer that is trying to kill her.

More than 1,000 of these friends, family and community members congregated at the Corvallis Church of the Nazarene to celebrate with the Byerses and watch the "Extreme Makeover" show on a big screen.

"I just want to thank all of you for coming out and helping to build the house. I love you all. Thank you," Boey said to the audience, having been introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden.

Wyden also announced the overwhelming support in the Senate for a bill he co-sponsored, the "Conquer Childhood Cancer Act."

The act would increase funding for the treatment, prevention and cure of childhood cancer. Boey convinced Wyden to sponsor the legislation and, in between chemotherapy treatments, she continues to lobby Congress for its passage.

About 1,150 people paid $5 apiece to see Sunday night's viewing of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" at the Church of the Nazarene. Funds raised by the event will help the Byers family with their continued expenses, including their mortgage and medical bills.

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