Fighting back: Relay for Life honors survivors, raises funds for cancer programs
Published 10:00 am Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Cancer survivor Hunter Cooper places a medal around fellow survivor Megan Wilkins' neck Saturday evening. (Photo by Fred Petke)
Jane Hines hangs a cancer survivor medallion around Phyllis Sweeney's neck during the annual Relay for Life Saturday. (Photo by Fred Petke)
Cancer survivors take their lap along Winchester's Main Street Saturday evening to celebrate another year following their diagnoses. (Photo by Fred Petke)
Cancer survivor Hunter Cooper talks about his journey and treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (Photo by Fred Petke)
Nick Baldanza checks the burgers prior to Saturday's Relay for Life in front of the Clark County Courthouse. (Photo by Fred Petke)
Jon Totty adjusts a suspension bridge outside Palmer Engineering's test for the annual Relay for Life Saturday evening in downtown Winchester. (Photo by Fred Petke)
A little more than two years ago, Hunter Cooper knew something was horribly wrong.
His back kept hurting intensely.
Following a family vacation, the pain increased. Some medical tests found nothing wrong, but blood tests told a different story.
“I was in a wheelchair and was wheeled into a room,” Cooper said Saturday evening during the Relay for Life. “The doctor came back and said the word you never want to hear and never expect to hear: cancer. (I thought) I’m a healthy soccer-playing kid. This is fake.”
But it was acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was also the start of a three-and-a-half-year process of treatment.
“The first 10 months were the worst,” he said. “There were some times I truly thought I would die. Almost every day I was horribly sick.”
Two years later, Cooper said his faith and the support of his friends and the community helped carry him through.
Now in the maintenance stage, Cooper said he takes a daily chemotherapy pill, has monthly treatments, steroids and spinal injections every three months.
“I knew this was bigger than me and I had to count on Jesus to get me through it,” he said. “Cancer is a horrible and insidious disease. While it has taken so much of my body… It has changed me for the better.”
Relay for Life is an annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and a long-running event in Clark County. This year was the first time the event was in downtown Winchester.
In 2018, the event raised about $50,000 for cancer research, the goal was similar for this year’s event, but preliminary totals were not available at press time.
About Fred Petke
Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.
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