Yellowknife hip-hop artist Aaron 鈥淕odson鈥� Hernandez plans to release his first new song in nearly a decade this month 鈥� a song he wrote in the midst of chemotherapy treatment.

鈥淚 do have a lot of free time, obviously, and I鈥檓 home all day,鈥� he said on Feb. 12, crediting his wife for the inspiration. 鈥淚t鈥檚 sparked my music again.鈥�

Godson has been making music in the NWT for decades, and has also entertained his supporters as a DJ. His music career has seen him perform at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and receive lofty recognition, including a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal in 2012.

He has also appeared on popular television programs like Dragon鈥檚 Den and Family Feud.

Late last year, he was diagnosed with stage four anaplastic T-cell lymphoma.

The news was difficult to process, he said, but it wasn鈥檛 long before he 鈥減ushed the gear into fight mode.鈥�

鈥淎s soon as they said it, it hits you really hard because it鈥檚 real,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verything just stopped. It just didn鈥檛 seem real at the time, and at that time you are like, 鈥榃hy me? What did I do?鈥� But there鈥檚 nothing you can do except start fighting it.鈥�

By mid-February, Godson was three weeks into his chemotherapy regimen. The treatment began in Edmonton, but he has since returned to Yellowknife, and he鈥檚 once again living with his family.

Being close to family, he said, has helped him cope with his health challenges, and the discomfort of chemotherapy.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what to expect [from treatment] because, of course, I鈥檝e never gone through chemo before, but, for the low points anyway, it definitely kind of cripples your body,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been comforting just to be in my own home. My wife is here by my side every minute of the day, and it鈥檚 just comforting to be with the kids and my mom and my brother. We鈥檙e all in the same house here, so there鈥檚 so much to distract me from what I鈥檓 going through.鈥�

Godson isn鈥檛 just getting support from his relatives.

He has been receiving waves of love and support from all around the city, the wider NWT, and all across Canada.

A GoFundMe campaign organized by three of his sister鈥檚 friends set an initial goal of $20,000 to help Godson and his family manage the costs of his treatment, but as of Feb. 12, it had blown past $40,000.

鈥淢y sister asked my permission, and I said yeah,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 mean, any kind of support is welcomed.鈥�

鈥淭hen it just blew up. For me, for my wife, we didn鈥檛 believe how big it鈥檚 gotten,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he support just started coming from everywhere 鈥� from people I鈥檝e never talked to, people I haven鈥檛 talked to in 25 years. It feels really good to know that we have the support of so many.鈥�

Godson called the help he and his family have received 鈥渉umbling.鈥�

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 how much you鈥檝e actually touched some people鈥檚 lives,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople have been like, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e been a big part of our high school dances back in the day, and some people have messaged me about having a collection of my albums. For me it鈥檚 like, wow, I didn鈥檛 realize how much of an impact I may have had on some people.

鈥淚t feels so great.鈥�

The beloved NWT artist said the encouragement and donations have affirmed his opinion that 鈥淭he North really gets behind what they believe in, and when they believe in something, they come in huge packs.鈥�

There is a long road ahead for Godson, and while there is no question it will be challenging, he said his 鈥渟pirits are good,鈥� and he hopes that his supporters know he plans to persevere.

鈥淚鈥檓 fighting this thing and I鈥檓 beating this,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith all the support I鈥檝e been getting, it鈥檚 really giving me the strength to battle this cancer.鈥�

Godson has been posting updates about his progress on his official Facebook page, which he called 鈥減art of the healing process.鈥�

His new song is expected to be available in the next couple of weeks on his Facebook page, as well as his YouTube channel.