The recent Major League Baseball All-Star Game began with a moving tribute to the “All Stars Among Us.” The individuals featured were everyday people living their lives in an extraordinary manner. One of the lasting impacts from tributes such as this is shining the light on additional community volunteers throughout the Four States. One of Neosho’s All Stars is Cathy Cooley.
Cooley follows her heart. Her heart is devoted to children and their families who are dealing with the effects of pediatric cancer. She devotes her spare time and her philanthropic efforts to the foundation she helped establish with her husband, Tim, in honor of their son Christopher.
The foundation was named after Christopher Cooley, who was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma at 31/2 years of age. Following his diagnosis he went through several major surgeries, many rounds of chemotherapy, along with radiation and a stem-cell transplant. He stayed in remission for 19 months before relapsing and beginning additional treatments. Christopher died on Feb. 4, 2001, at the age of 9.
The mission statement of the Christopher Foundation reads: “Inspired by Christopher Cooley, the Christopher Foundation will raise public awareness of pediatric cancer, support patients and families, and gain knowledge through research funding. Simply stated the Foundation helps children with cancer and their families in any way, and through many different agencies.”
“I think a lot of the active volunteers are people who personally knew Christopher and were somehow touched by him, although a lot were touched by him and never knew him,” said Cooley. “I also think people who have been affected by cancer in some way or another are also very willing to help out.”
Each Easter several of the Neosho schools make Easter baskets. The Christopher Foundation then delivers the baskets, along with Tim Cooley dressed as the Easter bunny, to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. The Easter bunny delivers the baskets to patients in the cancer clinic, followed by deliveries and visits to the children staying on the cancer floor of the hospital.
On the night before Thanksgiving, foundation volunteers travel to Kansas City where they begin an all-night cooking marathon. The holiday banquet is then delivered and served to the families and staff on the children’s cancer floor at Children’s Mercy Hospital. Gift certificates to a famous fast-food chain are presented to the kids, many of which do not feel well enough to enjoy the Thanksgiving meal, and provides them something to look forward to.
“We chose these two holidays because when we were up there all the time we knew that these were two holidays that weren’t covered,” said Cooley. “The hospital and many other companies do a fantastic job of covering Christmas, and the oncology floor made Halloween a blast with dress up and trick-or-treating each others’ rooms. We just wanted to fill some gaps.”
The foundation is currently working with Make A Wish in granting a wish to a young girl in Neosho dealing with the same form of cancer that Christopher Cooley battled. Individuals interested in donating to or working with the foundation can contact Cathy Cooley at (417) 451-1434.
