One year ago, Mt. Hope High School senior Cory Sousa was placing his ice hockey skates away and oiling his baseball mitt — transitioning from his senior hockey season to his upcoming baseball season.

Sousa was an all-division ice hockey captain. A calm, cool and smooth defenseman who exemplified the leadership role he filled, Sousa was a 'gamer' and helped lead Mt. Hope to three consecutive playoff hockey battles.

But these days Sousa isn't playing hockey or baseball. Instead he's lying in a Rhode Island hospital bed, in a battle for survival.

His disease is termed non-specific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP), a rare lung disease for which there is no known cure. He has undergone a failed steroid treatment and is currently being treated by a combination of steroids and chemotherapy drugs which doctors hope will cause the disease to recede. If treatments continue to fail, Sousa, at the age of 19, will face double lung transplant surgery.

Until last month Sousa had lived the typical life of a Bristol teen. He was working as a part-time electrical apprentice — learning while working in his chosen profession. He spent time with his friends, his family and his girlfriend. This winter he also continued to play hockey in a local men's league.

In mid-February Cory first told his father, Rick Sousa, of a shortness of breath and a loss of appetite. It was during a late-February hockey game that his symptoms worsened and Cory left the game before the third period.

Despite having no health insurance, Sousa scheduled an appointment with an asthma specialist. But before that apppointment, on Friday, Feb. 29, Sousa was involved in a minor car accident. For precautionary care, Sousa was transported to Rhode Island Hospital. In response to Sousa's shortness of breath, doctors took chest x-rays which uncovered the disease.

"It was a [good thing] he got in that car accident," said his father, Rick Sousa. "I guess it would have been better if he got in an accident two months before then."

Rick Sousa saw the shocking x-rays first hand. His son's inflamed lungs, discolored by scars and lesions, appeared as white as bones.

Rick was told that NSIP is so rare that in a pulmonary specialist's career he might see 10 such cases.

A biopsy was performed to confirm the diagnosis. On Thursday, March 6, Cory was placed on a ventilator. After four days doctors attempted to take him off the machine, but Cory had not progressed as hoped. He remained on the ventilator until Monday, March 17.

"To see him on that machine killed me," said Rick. "I'd have done anything to flip-flop places with him. He's off the machine now. He's in an isolated room. He can talk and move around, but they don't let him walk or anything. It's tough for him to eat or sleep because of the steroids. He's lost 15 to 20 pounds and he knows what's facing him."

Rick said doctors expect to make a decision on lung transplant surgery by the end of the week.

"Just because he has lung transplant doesn't mean he can't live a normal life," said the father. "He may not be able to play hockey or ride a roller coaster, but they can do some crazy things in medicine these days. All of his other organs are working fine."

Cory's age and health will work in his favor should he need a transplant.

Cory's parents and girlfriend have alternated spending nights at the hospital with him. But like any 19-year old, Sousa is getting antsy.

"He wants to come home," said Rick Sousa. "He wants to see his sisters, Taylor (12) and Lillian (4 months)."

What complicates Sousa's illness is the fact it hit when he was covered by no health insurance. As many teens, just entering the work force, Cory had yet to qualify for health insurance through his employer and had been released from his family's insurance plan on his 19th birthday — just four months prior.

"I don't care about what any of this is going to cost," Rick said. "I'll live in an apartment for the rest of my life if that's what it takes, I don't give a [crap], I just want him around!"

YOU CAN HELP!

Friends of the Sousa family have organized a fundraising drive to help offset Cory Sousa's prohibitive medical costs.

A macaroni dinner will be held on Saturday, April 12, from 4 to 8 p.m., at the Hydraulion Fire Station, at the corner of Annawamscutt Drive and Metacom Avenue. The cost is $10 per ticket; free for those under 5. Raffles, 50-50 raffles and a silent sports memorabilia auction will accompany the meal. All proceeds will directly benefit the Sousa family. For tickets, contact JP Cloutier at 465-6682 or email FriendsForCory@cox.net. Additional donations can be mailed to: Cory Sousa Benefit, c/o Bristol Fire Department, Ladie's Auxiliary, P.O. Box 881, Bristol, R.I., 02809.

American Billiards, on Gooding Avenue in Bristol, will host an 8-ball billiards tournament this Saturday, March 29, at 4 p.m. The cost is $20 per two-person team with all proceeds benefiting the Cory Sousa Benefit Fund. Prizes and raffles will accompany the tournament. For more information or to make a donation, call 413-3387.

by adam cote

adamcote@eastbaynewspapers.com