CHARLTON, Mass. - The gift of music is giving one local family some hope after their three year-old son’s battle with cancer. 

Cameron Ross of Charlton was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma in February 2021, and spent much of last year undergoing treatment. His parents came to realize music had a way of putting Cameron’s mind at ease, and that's how the Make-a-Wish Foundation found a way to help. 

Earlier this month, Cameron was suprised with a special reveal party where he was given a drum set and an eager audience ready to hear him perform.

What You Need To Know

  • Make-a-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island granted a Charlton boy's wish to receive a drumset and perform

  • Three year-old Cameron Ross' parents say he is now in remission after being diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma in February 2021

  • Cameron also received a record player and several Eagles vinyls, his favorite band

  • Cameron will also receive free drumming lessons as part of his wish
"He's always been drawn to music," said his mother, Lisa Parker. "Since he was an infant, I would always play the Eagles while he was in the bathtub and 'Take it Easy' has been his favorite song ever since."

In treatment, Lisa and Cameron's father Joe continued to make music a part of his life. 

"Maybe around two years old, he started playing the guitar a little bit," said Lisa. "And then actually while we were in the hospital he would pull up Zach Bryan on YouTube and start playing the guitar to him."

But nowadays, Cameron doesn’t sit back and listen. He’s the star of his own show. 

“That was a total surprise to him, we didn’t let him know until we had to go outside and do the reveal," said Lisa. "We had a few of our wish volunteers come to do the reveal.”

Make-a-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island collaborated with the nonprofit Music Drives Us Foundation to purchase the drum set, along with a record player for Cameron and several Eagles records. 

Lisa and Joe would be the first to tell you it’s a gift that’s gotten plenty of use, but the show of support outside their home meant just as much. 

“It was nice, because they all have other full-time jobs on top of Make-a-Wish," said Lisa. "All the little details that went into it too, like knowing that he can’t have dairy and they got him a cheese-less pizza.”

"I mean obviously it’s nothing that anybody wants to go through," said Joe. "But just knowing that there’s a community in our friends and family and organizations like Make-a-Wish and Music Drives Us, just having them there makes it a lot easier."

Cameron will also receive drum lessons as part of the wish. 

“Seeing how excited Cameron was for his drum set was so sweet," said Taylor Russell, wish program manager at Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. "He just kept saying how much he loves it. His parents told us how much it means to their family to have Cameron’s wish granted, and there’s nothing that we love to hear more.”

Cameron's parents said he has been in remission for over a year.