Farmington Valley Youths Undergoing Chemotherapy Lend Support to Avon 13-Year-Old with Cancer

The Avon community has organized many fundraisers to help defray the medical costs of an Avon Middle School eighth-grader with cancer. 

Hunter Miller, 13, has also had a lot of support from other local kids and teenagers with cancer and their families. 

"Everyone has been reaching out and guiding us through this," his mother, Deb Miller said. 

Hunter was always an active athlete, specializing in basketball and Little League baseball. He started feeling pain during basketball last October, but his parents originally thought it might be growing pains. When the pain continued, his parents brought him to the doctor. In January, he was diagnosed with a form of osteosarcoma in his left tibia. He can no longer play contact sports. 

He is currently in the hospital and will likely "continue to get chemotherapy through October or November," Deb Miller wrote in an email to Patch Monday.

"His surgery was a success and he is working hard on recovering from that while getting more chemo," she said. 

Three other families whose kids are either going through chemotherapy or who have been through it have been helpful resources for the Miller family, Deb Miller said. 

The Brisco family in Avon has been helpful to the millers. Avon High School student Robbie Brisco, 17, has a rare Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor in his femur. Soccer tournaments and other fundraisers have been done in the community to help him, as well. 

Liz Brisco, his mother, is Hunter's math tutor. Since she has a teenage son going through cancer treatment, she is able to advise Deb Miller on how to handle it as a parent. Miller said that when the Briscos found out the news about Hunter, they waited with her family at their house as they waited for news about whether or not the cancer had spread to Hunter's lungs. 

Whenever Robby and Hunter are at Connecticut Children's Medical Center for cancer treatment at the same time, Deb Miller said Robby comes to visit and spend time with Hunter. Robby talked to him about his experience going through chemotherapy and gives him advice on making it through chemotherapy and the nausea that results, she said.

“Robby has been great for Hunter," Deb Miller said. “He encourages him. Life’s not over because of this. It’s redirected."

As Hunter comes to grips with his "new normal," Miller said that the Ray family of Farmington has also been helpful. Kelly Ray had her leg amputated at the knee in the fall to remove a tumor from osteosarcoma. Ray recently announced that she is starting to walk again, aided by a crutch, at an award ceremony for an essay contest co-sponsored by the Farmington Rotary Club and West Woods.

Her mother, Carolyn Ray is an oncologist and has a lot of knowledge about cancer treatment to share with the Millers, Deb Miller said. A mutual friend introduced them.

“They just couldn’t be any kinder and nicer," Miller said.   

Miller has also been in touch with a Canton family that has a child with cancer.

“You don’t realize how many children are undergoing chemotherapy treatments for some type of cancer," Miller said. "Not everyone is getting the attention Hunter is so we have to make sure we give the voice to those who may not have the support that we’ve been blessed with.” 

Do you know of someone in the Farmington community with cancer? What do you do to help them? Cancer patients and survivors, have you done anything to help others with cancer? Tell us in the comments!