Have you ever met someone who just glows with optimism? Have you ever met someone who has such an amazing outlook on life that it just completely 180s your perspective on the importance of living it to the fullest? I have. My sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to this amazing person by the name of Cooper Harrison. My first impression of him was that he was very intelligent and easygoing. Cooper was always very active and involved in high school sports. He played football, lacrosse, baseball, and soccer and later accepted an offer to play football at Quincy University as a strong safety. Looking at him today, you would probably not be able to guess what he has been through in his past.
In a lifetime, most people can't say they've endured nearly as much as Cooper Harrison had by age 7. At age 7, Cooper was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). This is a rare blood disease and one of the top killers amongst individuals under the age of 20. According to cancer.org, "acute lymphoblastic leukemia, is a cancer that starts from the early version of white blood cells called lymphocytes in the bone marrow." The term acute means that if the cancer left untreated, the leukemia can prove fatal in just a few months. As a 7 year old, Cooper had no choice but to begin the battle against ALL. After 2 1/2 years of treatment including bone marrow biopsies, chemotherapies, various medications, and blood work, Cooper beat Leukemia!
I have to say that going through something like that at that age is nothing short of extraordinary and awe-inspiring. ALL is a very deadly cancer and I admire Cooper so much with his perseverance and optimism. I have never once heard him say that he looks back on it negatively. Yes, it was an absolutely horrible thing to happen to an innocent 7-year-old, but it formed him into this amazing individual that I have the honor of calling one of my very good friends.
Now, Cooper serves as an advisor for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). He also founded his own organization, the CoopStrong Foundation, while running his "Win the Life" campaign. He has been working on this foundation since his junior year of high school. His goal is to spread awareness of Leukemia as well as aid those going through treatments. That's not all. Cooper was also nominated for the Student of the Year Award and received the first runner up award for surpassing his $20,000 fundraiser. Cooper commented, "The Student of the Year Nomination came from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It is an organization where they raise money to fund for research and pay for families that cannot pay for treatment. The research is more for an alternative to chemotherapy. The side effects of chemotherapy are bad on the body, I already feel like a 40 year old man some days. It is hard. However, I am working on starting CoopStrong, a foundation to help kids with Leukemia. The goal is to raise money for a cure and also help survivors get free athletic training. I became a college athlete after Leukemia, so I know there are more kids like me. The goal is help kids pursue their dreams and make them feel confident in themselves. Leukemia or any other cancer can be draining, I want to help kids get that spark back."
It's people like this that the world should be proud of. Cooper has worked so extraordinarily hard on raising money for LLS and has already done so much for the organization. At such a young age, he has been very successful in aiding this amazing organization by raising awareness of Leukemia and yet still has huge plans for the future. "My goals for the future are to hold a few events a year (football 7 on 7 tournaments, kickball or softball tournaments, basketball tournaments, trivia nights, etc.). Another goal is to get a company sponsor for t-shirts, hats, and events. People like the design and I want to help people have access to the apparel. Years down the road, I want to be like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Lot of long term goals, but now it is realistic," Cooper says.
When I asked Cooper if there was anything else he'd like the readers to know, he said: "I just want the readers to know that giving back to the community is the best thing you could do. This is God's work, this is God's calling to me. Share your gifts and talents to the world and help the world grow. Also, Leukemia is the number one killer of cancer for kids under 20. The death rate for kids is very high and I consider myself lucky. All in all, listen to God's call and give back to a community YOU love, because you could change the world. You never know, so why not try to?"
To support CoopStrong, check out his Win the Life Campaign:
https://www.booster.com/coopstrongtank
Or donate to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society:
http://www.mwoy.org/pages/gat/stlouis16/charrison
