As the only other new student in my class when I first moved to Australia as a 10 year-old, Cooper was the first friend I made. This friendship was hardened on the sporting field, a place where Cooper, myself, and all our friends were happiest. This never changed, and, as it was when we started high school, we neared the finish by spending our time throwing the footy around at the park.
Cooper was persistent during our last year together. Even when the treatment and the cancer did their worst to his body, his sense of humour and his spirit were as strong as ever. No matter how low I’m sure he felt, he would never let on to his friends for fear that we would treat him any differently to how we always had.
I had never heard of Sarcoma when Cooper was diagnosed, and that’s a crying shame because I know that it means that so many others will also have never heard of it until it affects someone they love. That’s why the awareness and research that Cooper and the Foundation are helping is so important, and to support that in any way is a real honour. The work that Tania, Colin, Mitch and everyone involved in the Foundation has done is fantastic, and I can’t wait to see the wonderful work that can be done in the future.