Greg Cooper

Greg Cooper now living life normally. (http://www.sarugby.com/news/News/topic=38.html)

Greg Cooper was a 16 year old boy who got sick. He was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma (Bone cancer). Greg was usually 76kgs but every time he had chemotherapy the toxins took him back to about 64kgs. He would struggle to put the weight back on before he got hit with another dose of chemotherapy. He was given only a 10 percent chance of making it to his 17th birthday.

Greg Cooper never thought once of dying. He wanted to live too much. His belief of becoming an "All Black" (New Zealand's international rugby team) was too strong to be taken away. He would stand under a bar in their family's hayshed and the words of "GOD OF NATIONS AT THY FEET" would roar around the stadium in his head.

Greg Cooper could focus on just two things. One was survival and the other was playing test rugby for the All Blacks. Cooper struggled just to walk and to keep himself up straight with the chemotherapy. He was on a family trip to Australia when he complained that he had awful pain in one of his shoulders. Once back, his mother took him straight to hospital. The surgeon told his mother that he had a tumour on his top right rib and that he could die in the next six months and that the tumour was in an inoperable spot.

When Cooper was told that he could die in the next six months, he cried for a little bit but then he remarked "I'm not going to die I'm going to become an all black." Cooper had many dark points with his cancer; of course he was going to because cancer is at its worst when it strikes a kid. But Cooper still thought about being an ll Black and that was what was said to help him through the horrible disease.

Greg Cooper going for a run. ( www.hokonuigold.co.nz)

Greg Cooper went on to be a wonderful New Zealand Fullback playing only 7 tests but getting 63 points. He debuted at the age of 21 versus France at Christchurch. His last game was against Ireland at Dunedin. He played 27 times for Otago and 23 times for Auckland. Greg Cooper is truly my hero because he never gives up no matter how hard some things are. He tries again and again and again and he showed that dedication and inspiration can sometimes get you out of trouble.