Community Corner

Fundraiser Benefits Romeoville Infant 'Supermanny'

After suffering brain damage at birth, the infant is making progress with help of hyperbaric oxygen treatments.

When he was born in early 2012, doctors didn't expect Manny Bueno to live very long — in fact, they told his parents he may only have a few days.

But the Romeoville infant, dubbed "Supermanny" by friends and family, beat the odds, fighting back after oxygen deprivation left him with brain damage due to a condition known as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Now, community members are rallying behind baby Manny and his family to help pay for hyperbaric oxygen treatments. A benefit is set for 3 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at Grace Pointe Church, 14210 S. Route 30, Unit 112 in Plainfield.

The cost for the event is $10 per family, and the festivities will include a bake sale, raffle and crafts. All proceeds will go directly toward baby Manny's treatments.

Miracle baby


Mom Holly Bueno said Manny was born four weeks early in January 2012. Already a mom of two healthy children, now ages 9 and 6, Bueno said she was shocked when complications developed with her third child.

Manny was delivered early after Bueno's placenta detached, depriving him of oxygen. "He had HIE, which basically breaks down to lack  of oxygen, lack of blood flowing to the brain," Bueno said.

Shortly after Manny was born, Bueno and her husband noticed he was lethargic. The next day, an MRI revealed the newborn had significant brain damage — and doctors told the family to prepare for the worst.

"I couldn't wrap my brain around the idea that something could possibly be wrong," Bueno said. But the infant had no gag reflex, meaning he couldn't eat on his own. He did not cry, and doctors said he couldn't even feel pain.

"He couldn't see," Bueno said. "He had to be fed with a feeding tube."

When Manny was three days old, the Bueno family had him baptized after being told he may not have much longer to live.

But the infant proved doctors wrong. After 40 days in the NICU, he was discharged from Edward Hospital. 

Through research, Bueno learned about hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which has been used to help patients with conditions like autism and traumatic brain injury. Even though the procedure was not covered by insurance, Bueno decided to try it.

For 40 days, she and her new son spent one hour in a hyperbaric chamber. 

"After about three weeks of therapy, he started tracking objects [with his eyes]," she said. "He could see."

Manny also developed a gag reflex and began to cry more frequently.

"We finally saw him smile," Bueno said. A second MRI showed that Manny's brain damage had improved by about 90 percent.

But although the infant has come a long way, the now-17-month-old Manny is far from recovered. 

"Because of the restricted blood flow to the brain, he has cerebral palsy," Bueno said. "He's 17 months old, but he's still like a newborn."

Undeterred, the mom of three says she intends to continue with Manny's hyperbaric treatments to help him continue making progress.

Bueno said staff at Midwest Hyperbaric & Wellness in Bolingbrook are recommending Manny undergo another 80 treatments by his second birthday in January.

At a cost of $150 per treatment, that adds up to $12,000 — not covered by insurance.

All proceeds from the July 13 fundraiser will go towards baby Manny's treatments.

For more information on "Super Manny" and the fundraiser, visit the Healing Supermanny Facebook page.

A second fundraiser is planned for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 28 at 1119 Black Rd. in Joliet. The event will include items for sale including children's clothes, toys, scrapbooking items, shoes, party decorations, home decor and more.


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