OSWEGO, NY (WSYR-TV)
A benefit was held in Oswego on Saturday for a seven year old that suffers from an aggressive form of cancer.
Julian Ross has been battling neuroblastoma for the past year. It started in his adrenal gland and quickly spread throughout the rest of his body.
"He goes to Philadelphia. We've been there on and off for the last two months and we're scheduled to go down for the next six to 10 months for his next treatment,” said Julian’s father Steve Ross.
Travel and medical costs have been piling up. To make matters worse, Steve Ross lost his job last week. Julian’s mother said the family is having a hard time keeping up.
"It’s been very hard. We've had to make a lot of sacrifices. We've had to take our other two children and send them to a different school district. We have to travel to Philly all the time. We practically live there, its very difficult,” said Julian’s mother Kristi Thompson.
But thanks to a fundraiser hosted by the Oswego Fire Department, that burden became a little more bearable on Saturday.
"You put yourself in the Ross family’s shoes and everybody sees it. Everybody has a little kid or a niece or nephew and they feel for them what they’re going through and it’s just overwhelming how much the public has given to this event,” said Brooks Hourigan with the Oswego Fire Department.
The Oswego Fire Department has taken Julian under its wing the last year. Aside from hosting benefits, it is helping the 7-year-old reach his dream of becoming a firefighter.
"We've adopted him as one of our firefighters. So he has all the gear, all the stuff that we have so he’s a good little boy and we can’t wait until he gets hired at the fire department and you know I can watch him grow,” said Hourigan.
Julian’s mother said that support had made a major impact.
"I want to say thank you to the people that have come out to support us. We appreciate it and it’s because of them we are getting through this and it’s making us strong," said Thompson.
$15,700 was raised at the benefit on Saturday.
To learn more about Julian and to donate,
click here.
