Coopers courageous cancer battle

Cooper is a 6 year old boy who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on 1st sept 2018. Cooper and his mum Linda have spent the past 10 months living at the Sydney Children's Hospital. Since diagnosis Cooper has managed to have just about every complication possible. This included a severe reaction to one of the chemotherapy drugs that paralysed him from the waist down and required intensive physiotherapy for 4 months to learn to walk again. He is still requiring a wheelchair as although he can walk small distances he gets tired very quickly.  Cooper has become resistant to chemotherapy and started bone marrow transplant in June and will now be in a isolation room for at least the next 100 days with no access to the outside world. Cooper has had a rough journey in hospital but managed to also make some special memories like meeting his heroes from the South Sydney Rabbitohs! 

Coopers treatment and adjustment to hospital life has been made even more difficult due his diagnosis of autism. Cooper hates being touched,  looked at, spoken to by strangers and this happens to him repeatably on a daily basis. Cooper has had to under go countless tests, rounds of chemo, surgical procedures, daily medication/obs and all of this is very distressing for him. 

Cooper has won the love of countless staff and people he has met along this journey. Nobody ever knows quite what to expect when he opens his mouth :) He has a very 'strong personality', he is incredibly stubborn, intelligent, amazingly insightful at times, hilarious and when he wants to be pretty darn cute.  Cooper is one of a kind!

Linda is a single mum who had to quit her two jobs to move the 7 hours to Sydney. Linda has no supports in Sydney and has had to leave her daughter Jasmine in the care of her mum. Linda is not one to ask for help but right now she is juggling the daily costs of living away from home whilst also paying a home loan, bills and Jasmine's school fees. 

Cooper should be at home with his sister, enjoying his first year at school however his battle is not over. There will be more tough days ahead and helping ease some of the financial stress will allow Linda to focus on Coopers care and let them know that there is a team of people wanting to show their support.  So please give whatever you can afford to show Linda and Coops that despite being alone in Sydney, there is a team of people behind them supporting his road to recovery.

Soon after being admitted to hospital 

Cooper attending his first day at hospital school. Unfortunately he has not been well enough to return. 
Goodbye hugs from his big sister

Another one of his heroes from the Bunnys who kindly gave Coops his boots!

Cooper receiving his first bone marrow transplant with two of his favourite nurses!