Through the contributions of generous donors, The Super Cooper Foundation was able to provided needed financial support to five organizations in 2010. These organizations were chosen because of their gracious support given to Cooper and his family during their journey and battle with cancer. The Super Cooper Foundation strives to help those families battling pediatric cancer. Below are the 2010 recipients:
www.childrensflightofhope.org/
For nearly 20 years, the mission of Children's Flight of Hope has been to ease the burden of travel for families with children who require specialized medical care at distant medical facilities. Due to medical, family or economic reasons the families they serve find commercial air travel to be a significant hardship.
Highly qualified volunteer pilots operate their organization's Cessna 414 to transport children and their families to and from medical facilities throughout the eastern United States. The Children's Flight of Hope seeks not only to ease the financial burden of air travel but also to provide comfort and hope to the families they serve by providing quality service and the utmost attentiveness to their needs. The children they serve suffer from many different challenges including burns, cancer, and heart defects.
In September of 2009, Cooper needed to be transported from Chapel Hill, NC to Boston, MA to undergo radiation treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital. Because Cooper had just under gone a craniotomy to remove the ependymoma tumor from his brain, he was not yet in a condition to fly on a commercial flight or make a long car trip to Boston. The Children's Flight of Hope provided Cooper and his mother a flight as well as a medical assistant to accompany Cooper.
The Super Cooper Foundation donated the cost of two flights for the needs of future children and their families requiring the same transportation support Cooper was so graciously given.
Christopher's Haven was founded in 2001 by Dan Olsen, a Boston-based actor, singer & songwriter who is also a three time cancer survivor. After surviving his third bout with the disease, Dan committed himself to doing something to help families like those he'd met. He envisioned a haven for young cancer patients and their families -- a place that would free them from concerns about lodging and allow them to focus on their child's treatment and recovery.
Now, Christopher's Haven has become more than lodging. It is, as the tagline says, "a home for kids when cancer hits home."
In the fall of 2009, Cooper had to relocate to Boston, MA for nearly nine weeks to undergo specialized radiation treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital. During Cooper's treatments, the Herman family stayed in a fully furnished apartment located across the street from the radiation treatment center where Cooper underwent sedated radiation treatments every morning, Monday thru Friday, for 7 weeks. Christopher Haven provided convenient living accommodations at a very low cost. Most importantly, they provided the Herman's and Cooper with an instant support network of other families and playmates going through the same treatment and challenges.
The Super Cooper Foundation donated over 200 days of accommodation for other families needing the support of Chistopher's Haven.
The Tanner Seebaum Foundation was founded by Matt and Stephanie Seebaum, the parents of Tanner who was diagnosed with an Ependymoma. The foundation attempts to do something more for children who are tragically faced with the diagnosis of a brain tumor. The foundation strives to fund medical research that will lead to a cure for this terrible disease. While there are many different types of brain tumors and cancers, it is important that promising research continues in all areas. This foundation places special emphasis on the treatment of Ependymoma and Glial tumors of the brain and spine.
During Cooper's battle with cancer he has experienced a number of tumor growth reoccurrences resulting in many tough and "grey" decisions for the Hemans. Along this journey, the Children's Hospital of Denver (CHD), and specifically their Oncology and Radiology departments, has been a key consultant to the Hermans. Children Hospital of Denver spent hours with the Hermans discussing Cooper's scans, results, and treatment options. The Tanner Seebaum Foundation's primary funding recipient is the Children's Hospital of Denver which is performing the specific and critical research for the cure for Ependymoma's
The Super Cooper Foundation donated $5000 to the Tanner Sebaum Foundation for the continued research for the treatment and cure of ependymomas.
UNC and Duke have been the primary caregivers of Cooper since he was diagnosed in August of 2009. Many departments that have cared for Cooper– Pediatric Intensive Care, Oncology, Radiology, Neurosurgery , Neurology, Endocrinology. The list is extensive, although there are two specific department that are now considered part of the Herman family due to their always caring and "Cooper focused" care.
With help from donors and the doctors at UNC and Duke, The Super Cooper Foundation was able to donate over 300, $25 gift cards to the kids in the UNC and Duke clinics. These gift cards often served a dual purpose for theses brave children, by providing a small gift of joy during the Christmas season and in some instances, easing some financial burden for their families.
