The Cooper Rusaw Story

Cooper Rusaw is the Happy Smackah for 2025. His entire family are, undeniably, happy smackahs. Cooper is the youngest of four children in the Rusaw family, and when he was diagnosed with cancer just three months ago, the family, reeling with the news, did what they do. They stayed strong as a team: Brittany and Dave, Addy(15), Bria(14), Sadie(11), and Cooper(9).

Cooper is a third grader at Fall River Elementary School. He turned nine in November, just before he was diagnosed with Leukemia. It started with a moment Brittany, Cooper’s mother, will never forget. She was tucking Cooper into bed. He was fidgeting with his neck, and she asked him what he was doing. “Playing with my bump. Doesn’t everyone have this bump?” Brittany felt his neck, where she felt the swollen lymph node. She was concerned, but grateful that his annual health visit was that week.

The doctor ordered blood work, not overly concerned. The blood work came back perfect. He was put on antibiotics, and the gland stayed swollen, and his tests kept being normal.

When Cooper’s parents were explaining the timeline, Brittany wanted to go back in time to explain that she’d always been concerned that his breathing didn’t sound right. When further tests showed that his adenoids were fully inflamed and needed to be removed, she felt a sense of hope that this would solve matters. The original concern of his swollen lymph node was blended in with some concerns, and there were no indications that Cooper was anything other than healthy.

Even the news, when it came, that his adenoids were blocking most of his breathing, was “good” news, signalling a hope for his breathing problem to be fixed.

The doctors felt that the adenoid surgery was an opportunity to remove and biopsy the still swollen lymph node.

Both procedures went well, and they were told everything looked normal.

And then, the nightmare of the worst Friday the 13th imaginable happened. On that fateful December day, they received a call that Cooper’s lymph node biopsy showed lymphoma. They were told to pack for a week at Children’s hospital. Not only did Dave and Brittany get this devastating blow, they knew they had to explain this to Cooper and the rest of the family.

Brittany discussed how sheltered Cooper had been about such illnesses, that he had no knowledge of cancer. Their family with both sets of grandparents living nearby, were healthy, and their world was blessedly untouched by this level of illness. When Cooper was told he had cancer, he knew only that he was sick, like a cold or flu, and he would need to fight it. He was, as he is now, resolved to do what he needs to do.

With Christmas weeks away, four school aged children, the logistics of being asked to pack for a week at Children’s hospital, were daunting. The fear was nearly immobilizing.

But the Rusaw family worked together, as they do, to make it happen. Cooper was brought to Children’s Hospital, and the rest of the family went to a nearby motel.

The next week was a whirlwind. Cooper was diagnosed with Leukemia (B-cell ALL), and within a few days, his first round of chemo began, and so began the journey that is prescribed for two and a half years.

The first round of chemo is called the induction phase, and it is also known to be the most horrible of the phases. Just turned 9-year-old Cooper made it through that phase, but he lost body mass, became diabetic, was listless, weak, and needed to be picked up to be moved.

Cooper is a fighter, and when we met him, just before his next round of chemo, he was a smiling, polite, boy, who let us know his favorite t-shirt color was teal. When we asked how he was, he said, “good.” He is a Happy Smackah, no doubt. He seems to know he has to fight, and he is up for the fight. It’s clear, without his parents telling us, that he doesn’t complain. Cooper, the youngest. The boy. The little guy who isn’t actually very little for his age, seems to have pulled in every bit of the energy and love from his whole family, and he has wisdom beyond his years.

It’s impossible to consider his fight and plight without thinking about his whole family. The Rusaw family are lively, involved, community centered, practical, faithful people who have built a beautiful life, with strong, independent children. The oldest, Addy, wants to be a doctor, and she showed her scientific prowess by asking questions, taking notes, and being practical about all the aspects of Cooper’s diagnosis.

Then, there is Bria, Cooper’s Bestie. She’s so tied to him that on the first day he needed to be home from school, she stayed with him, cooking and playing and being normal.

And then, there is Sadie, who is closest to Cooper in age. They are the ones who fight and tease, neither of which she can do with her brother right now. Sadie is emotionally intelligent, and without showering him with teasing and sparring, she showers Cooper with kindness, finding ways to bring him joy.

Currently, Cooper goes to school for half days. He exults in class and his social life. They all know that Cooper has 2 and ½ years of a specific medical regime of chemotherapy, a battle. Recently, Cooper was able to go to a Mead basketball game. Brittany missed most of the game because she was watching Cooper, sitting with friends, laughing and being a kid. Brittany felt that bittersweetness, seeing him be normal, seeing others, knowing his battle is in front of him, and that they have a new normal.

Recently, Cooper looked at his mother and said, “I feel lucky. And I feel unlucky.” He explained that he felt unlucky to have cancer, but he felt lucky because he’d met a lot of kids who thought he was lucky to have the type of cancer he had.

Brittany and Dave feel blessed for all that they have, and they also feel lucky. And unlucky. Cooper’s diagnosis is something they have been tackling, but they’ve barely had time to process. The pain and fear of this all has been buoyed by the love and support of their family, community, and friends. People have, as Brittany expressed, “just shown up.” She and Dave are amazed at the love and kindness of people. “We aren’t surprised. We know that people are good, but it is still… a surprise. To know how kind people are.”

The family works together to live their lives as fully as they can. Brittany, Dave, and friends and family shuttle their daughters to basketball games, volleyball tournaments, dance recitals, chess club. And they bring Cooper to his chemotherapy. This is their new normal.

They are all practical, filled with faith, trust, hope, and there is an immeasurable kindness that permeates their collective being. This family is holding tight to all of their faith and love, and they are unwavering in this, in the face of this frightening time.

Cooper Rusaw is a Happy Smackah.

We thank you for your help and support in any way that you are capable – by participating in our Happy Smackah 5k Fun Run on May 10th, through a General donation, or by Volunteering.

We are also seeking Sponsors!  If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please visit our Sponsors Page or contact us by email.  Register for the 5k Fun Run Today!