Kooper Rooks is 13 turning 14 in September, and according to his dad loves music, art and drama. Kooper has been in plays and enjoys drawing, and like most teenagers his age enjoys Netflix and video games.

“His greatest asset is his personality. He gets along with everyone and is very humorous,” Kooper’s father, Jerry Rooks said.

Kooper was also recently diagnosed with lymphoma. According to Jerry, it was around the end of school that they began noticing health issues with Kooper. Jerry said that Kooper first began complaining with fatigue and soreness in his legs and feet. Since Kooper was playing tennis at the time they felt the hard court was causing the issues, but things began to get worse. “He started running weird temperatures. He would have a fever of 105 then it would drop down to 94. We took him to an urgent care, and they said he had a sinus infection and gave him antibiotics,” Jerry said.

Kooper continued to show signs of illness, and was pale despite being out in the sun for his sisters’ softball games. “I thought he was anemic, and he was. I took him to the family doctor and told them I possibly thought it was mono,” Jerry said.

The doctor prescribed steroids, and for a while Kooper responded well to them. Kooper was also having stomach problems and was referred to see a specialist in Huntsville three weeks later. “We was referred to Dr. McClellan, he is our new hero. We would not have found out what was going on as soon as we did,” Jerry said

When Kooper again became ill while at the beach with his family, Dr. McClellan scheduled a biopsy and colonoscopy to check for Celiac or Crohns Disease, but all results came back clear. Jerry said it was then that Dr. Cox, the Huntsville Hospital St. Jude affiliate, suggested that Kooper undergo a CT scan. “They like to have never got an IV in him he was so sick and dehydrated,” Jerry said.

After the CT scan, Jerry said that Kooper was immediately transferred to pediatrics. The following night they also performed a test on his bone marrow and biopsied the lymph node by his collar bone. From there the results showed that Kooper’s lymph nodes and organs were enlarged. While at Huntsville, Kooper was diagnosed with Hodgkins. Jerry said after Kooper’s diagnosis he was taken to St. Judes by ambulance. “We had about 10 minutes to pack our bags to follow the ambulance to St. Jude,” Jerry said.

Now at St. Jude, Jerry said that Kooper was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma meaning that the cancer was mutating and changing. “Right now he is being treated with the most aggressive chemotherapy. We are inpatients at St. Jude which is not what normally happens. He has a dedicated nurse outside the door. Kooper’s favorite thing here is the warm blankets. He loves the warm blankets and he likes getting mail,” Jerry said.

Jerry said that the community support for the family has been overwhelming. Both Jerry and his wife Kelly are teachers and have been active in the community. “We have invested a lot through our careers into our community and kids. To see the words of encouragement and prayers…it feels like we are living off them,” Jerry said.

Kooper has donation accounts set up at both Redstone Credit Union and People’s Bank. Friends and family have also set up a go-fund me. The community can stay updated with Kooper on his Facebook page at Team Kooper Rooks. Kooper can also receive letters and cards by mailing Kooper Rooks (Patient) St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.