Most boys would take baths for granted.

But probably not 3-year-old Jay Ellis III. A battle with cancer prevented Jay from being able to enjoy a real, fill-up-the-tub, splash-your-mom-with-bubbles, rubber ducky kind of a bath.

That’s because one of Jay’s treatments — a surgically inserted tube to administer medication straight into his heart — couldn’t get wet. For about half of his life, Jay’s mother, Diedra Ellis, gave him sponge baths or half baths.

“He’s never experienced a full bath with water,” his mother said.

Swimming was out of the question as well, but no longer.

Jay’s cancer has been in remission, and on Friday he and his family leave for a four-day Disney Cruise to the Caribbean. Swimming will be encouraged, his mother said.

The cruise was a gift from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alaska, Montana, Northern Idaho and Washington. Since 1980, the worldwide foundation has helped fulfill wishes, such as travel or meeting famous people, for 166,480 children who have life-threatening medical conditions.

Jay’s cancer, called rhabdomyosarcoma, affects the soft tissue of the body and has been in remission since April 14. In most cases, as well as Jay’s, doctors can’t determine the cause of rhabdomyosarcoma, according to the National Cancer Institute.  

Every three months Jay goes back to Children’s Hospital in Seattle to be scanned for tumors. For five months, the scans have been cancer-free. His next scan is in November.

“It’s still scary,” said Jay’s father, Jay Ellis Jr. “This type of cancer has an 80 percent reoccurrence rate.”

Because of Jay’s age, his mother and Brenna Crain, one of the foundation’s volunteer wish granters, worked together to figure out what Jay might want as a wish.

That’s when the topic of swimming came up, along with Jay’s enjoyment of trains, planes and motorcycles.

Wish granters work with the family to determine the wish, but they also have the option to find ways to make the occasion special, said Jodi Sipes, another wish granter.

With that in mind, Crain called the North Cascades Chapter of the Harley Owners Group and Skagit Harley and asked if they could escort Jay to a pizza party the foundation was hosting for him at Chuck E. Cheese in Burlington.

Owners group member Randy “Roadkill” Nelson called other club members and made an announcement at a local church that is attended by many motorcycle enthusiasts.

On Sunday morning, 42 motorcyclists arrived with a rumble of motors at Jay’s home in Mount Vernon.

The 3-year-old’s eyes widened when he saw all the motorcycles. The motorcyclists outfitted Jay and his father with helmets. Jay and his dad climbed into a motorcycle sidecar.

One of the motorcyclists offered Jay’s brother, Kalin Hagen, 8, a ride to the restaurant. His mother, grandmother, grandfather and friends of the family traveled in cars.

After arriving, Jay didn’t have a lot to say. When his mother asked him if he had a good time, he nodded his head repeatedly. When she asked if he wanted to go for another ride, he nodded again.

It was the second time Jay has ridden a motorcycle. The first time was just a quick trip around the block with a friend of his father’s.

“It wasn’t nearly as cool as this,” his father said.

The motorcycle riders signed a helmet they gave to Jay, along with a gift certificate from Skagit Harley. Cascade Mall gave the family a membership to the Skagit Children’s Museum. Jay’s motorcycle escort also passed a helmet around, gathering a $338 donation for the family.

Jay was about 18 months old when he was diagnosed with cancer, his mother said. A tumor was growing inside his torso on his diaphragm, the muscle used to breathe. The cancer spread and tumors grew inside his heart and eyes. His mother said that the tumor on his diaphragm grew to be a foot long and made Jay look pregnant.

Treatment involved major surgery, including removal of a kidney and adrenal glands. The resulting scar runs from Jay’s stomach to under his arm, his dad said. Tiny tattoos on his torso marked where the exact spot where his doctors pinpointed the location to apply radiation. He also underwent extensive chemotherapy.  

“He’s an inspiration,” his mother said. “With all of the horrible things we had to put him through, he was always in good spirits.”

While there’s a good chance that Jay’s cancer will return, Jay’s parents said they hope he will live into his 20s and beyond.

“There’s hope again,” his mother said and smiled.

Marta Murvosh can be reached at 360-416-2149 or .