Meet Champion, Cooper

Born at 28 weeks and weighing just 1lb, 3oz, Cooper faced immense challenges from the start, including serious heart and lung complications. He was also diagnosed with Down Syndrome in utero. At 8 weeks old, he was transferred to Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where specialists could quickly address his complex heart and lung needs. Thanks to donations, Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia provided advanced care, heart procedures, and respiratory support, giving Cooper the best chance to survive and grow. Over 372 days, his entire first year of life, he fought through surgeries, infections, and months on a ventilator. At just over a year old, Cooper finally went home with a tracheotomy, ventilator, G-tube, and oxygen. Now three years old, his joyful personality continues to be a shining light, showing the resiliency of kids like him in the face of challenges.