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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In this season of giving, even police officers are showing their generous sides.

When a family from England told KCK’s police chief, Terry Zeigler, about their sick child, an international red carpet was rolled out. Some employees at the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department are calling it proof that social media has made the world a smaller place.

“I would have never thought that would have come through Twitter,” Chief Zeigler told FOX 4 News.

The nine-year old boy is Alexander Goodwin, who lives with a rare form of cancer called Ewing’s Sarcoma. Chief Zeigler first befriended Goodwin’s father, Jeff, via Twitter. The elder Goodwin is also a police officer, serving in England near Birmingham.

He reached out to his Twitter friend, Zeigler, after hearing about a surgery doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital can perform. In the past, that procedure has helped save patients’ lives.

“Jeff (Goodwin) got in touch with me, and said, ‘low and behold. We have to come to the United States for the surgery’,” Chief Zeigler told FOX 4 News. “The surgery has never been done by doctors in the U.K.”

When the Goodwins land at KCI Airport on Wednesday evening, they’ll be greeted by a police escort. Chief Zeigler says his officers were encouraged and loved by the community after the untimely deaths of KCKPD Capt. Dave Melton and Detective Brad Lancaster. Zeigler says he sees this as a chance to give back.

“I just saw this as an opportunity for us to help somebody else out who was in need,” Chief Zeigler said.

“It’s just amazing to me the power of social media, for the good.”

It isn’t lost on Ziegler that the Goodwins will be in the Kansas City metro during the Christmas season. Ziegler told FOX 4 News a local post from the Fraternal Order of Police has plans to make sure both Goodwin children enjoy the Christmas season, and their time in Kansas City too.

The Goodwins will stay at the Kansas City Ronald McDonald House. Chief Ziegler says off-duty officers will provide them transportation to and from medical appointments.