Published in: The Boynton Times
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
By Natalie Meyers, Times Staff Writer
The Story of Bubba Love
"He was from his first breath the most contented soul I have ever had the privilege to meet," Lisa Contessa-Hruska said of her 10-month-old son, Anthony, who died in August from a rare brain tumor.
Anthony Michael Stephen Hruska, known affectionately as "Bubba" by close friends and family, had fiery reddish hair, brown eyes and a quick smile and giggle, she said. He was born Oct. 6 last year.
"He got sick in April," Contessa-Hruska ssaid. "We kept taking him to the doctors."
Doctors told the Hruskas that ANthony had a virus. They diagnosed him with Bell's Palsy after noticing the left side of his face was paralyzed, she said. They said it would go away. But it didn't.
Contessa-Hruska said she knew that something was wrong. She and her husband, Anthony Hruska, of Boynton Beach, took their son to a second neurologist, "We said, We want tests," she said.
The neurologist scheduled an MRI, but could not get the baby in until July, she said.
On July 4, the baby was rushed to Bethesda Memorial Hospital, where emergency room doctors gave him a CAT scan. "They found something," Contessa-Hruska said. "We were just blindsided. We knew something was wrong but we didn't think it was a brain tumor."
After being transported to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, doctors diagnosed Anthony''s brain tumor as an Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor. It is a rare, aggressive tumor that forms most commonly in children younger than 2, according to St. Jude's Research Hospital Web site, www.stjude.org.
A neurosurgeon removed 95 percent of the tumor, but weeks later the original tumor grew back and multiplied, Contessa-Hruska said.
The family made arrangements to bring baby Anthony home Aug. 1, less than one month after the diagnosis. He died Aug. 7.
"A lot of time in the hospital we had a lot more hope than we should have," she said. "We wanted to believe he was going to get better."
Statistically, the survivial rate of children diagnosed with ATRT is less than 10 percent even after surgery and chemotherapy, according to St. Jude's web site.
After baby Anthony died, the Hruska's formed the BUbba Love Foundation with a mission to educate, promote awareness, help find a cure and provide support to families stricken with ATRT, Contessa-Hruska said.
The Hruskas are organizing the Bubba Love Foundation's first fundraising event this weekend at Son Life Lutheran Church west of Boynton Beach.
Bubba's Big Birthday Bash will be a celebration of baby Anthony's first birthday and will include games, prizes, bounce houses, pony rides, food and entertainment by local country western band Hey Jr., Contessa-Hruska said. There also will be a holiday bazaar featuring items for sale from Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple, Tupperware, Arbonne, Southern Living, Gold Canyon Candles and more. About 20 percent of bazaar sales will benefit the foundation. People are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys for children at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital.
"Our main focus is helping families who have this type of tumor - financially and with information," Contessa-Hruska said.
Hruska said it was disappointing to discover there is not alot of information about ATRT. The tumor is very rare. It was identified in 1997.
"Right now they don't know what protocal works for this," Contessa-Hruska said. "That's really why we started this foundation. There are no known protocals for this." "There is no right thing to do," he said. "It is a cancer no one understands. That is why we are developing a Web site where people can get information." The website is www.bubbalove.org .
"It is unquestionably the most horrible thing any family could endure," Contessa-Hruska said of her son's death. The Hruskas have a 4-year-old daughter named Olivia. "We're all just holding each other up. There are no good days anymore. We have good moments."
IF YOU GO
What: Bubba's Big Birthday Bash [PDF] with games, prizes, bounce houses, food, entertainment and a holiday bazaar
When: 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday November 26, 2005
Where: Son Life Lutheran Church, 9301 Jog Road
Information: 561-313-1681
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