His disease was caused by the Thymus lymph node over-producing white blood cells and becoming cancerous. Since the diagnosis, Ben has undergone treatment to successfully defeat the cancer.

Ben’s physician, Dr. Robert Saylors contacted the Make-A-Wish foundation, which met with Ben to discuss his options. Ben’s wish was to visit Pearl and receive a custom built Pearl Masterworks kit.

Last week, Ben’s wish was came true when he and his family visited Pearl Corporation in Nashville, TN to take a tour of the facilities, meet the staff, and to witness the unveiling of his brand new custom 'Emerald Fade over Tamo' finish Masterworks kit.

From the minute he entered the building, Ben was truly overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and hospitality of the Pearl staff. He described his day at Pearl by saying:

"This has been the best experience I could have wished for. The amount of care and dedication given to the people and products is why Pearl is the best in the world. Thank you such much for going above and beyond to grant my wish!"

After the unveiling of his kit, Ben spent the afternoon at Pearl visiting with with the staff and spending time with his new kit.

Tom Storch, Pearl Salesman and Masterworks Arranger, was instrumental in granting the wish, working with Ben to create a completely unique Masterworks kit.

Since treatment, Ben Hines has enrolled at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, pursuing a degree in Music Education; continuing his love for percussion through performances in the UA-Fort Smith Percussion Ensemble, the River Valley Independent indoor drumline, and local jazz bands. As for the future, Ben plans to graduate and move to Nashville to pursue a career in the music industry.

Pearl Corporation is proud to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to make Ben’s wish come true.