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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1978)
Page 10 THE BATTALION MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1978 Fights off regular bouts of asthma Rodeo winner suffers ‘inconveniences United Press International OKLAHOMA CITY — The cow boy slings his rope, dismounts in a flash and crouches to tie the flailing legs of a lassoed calf. Dust swirls in the rodeo arena and rises around the roper’s face. It not the ideal situation for an as thmatic. But Roy Cooper, 23, has over come the ailment to become a three-time national winner of tojD money for the season in professional calf roping. Cooper’s quick hands and fast re flexes have won him the money title each year since he joined the Pro fessional Rodeo Cowboys Associa tion in 1976. His list of championship titles dates back to his 11th birthday. He has had asthma since birth. This week Cooper received another title — National Christmas Seals Ambassador for the American Lung Association — and for the next year the Durant, Okla., roper will help the association raise money to fight lung diseases. Cooper, who grew up in Monu ment, N.M., and graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State Uni versity in Durant, is trying for his second world title this week at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. He won his first world title in 1976, the same year he was named Rookie of the Year. SEASONS GREETINGS! T-Shirts Make Great Christmas Gifts — Buy I T-Shirt at Regular Price & Get The Second Shirt 25% of ft Now through Christmas T! LOUPOT'S jW BOOKSTORE NORTHGATE — ACROSS FROM THE POST OFFICE Only a few people have known of his fight with asthma. “It’s not really something I feel like bragging about,” Cooper said, smiling. “I’ve had it as long as I can remember. It’s part of my life that I could do without, but I ve never let it stand in the way of my goals. “Asthma slowed me down at times — especially when I was growing up. I couldn’t play football, sometimes I couldn’t rope when I wanted to, I had to rest more than other kids, and was smaller than most kids. Cooper said he has “outgrown” the disease to some extent. His wife, Lisa, added that he still has attacks. Horse hair and dust aggravate the asthma. “If I didn’t take care of myself and take my medicine, I guess I would be coughing every night,’ Cooper said. “Who knows? Maybe one of these days they will find a cure. Until then, I’m going to treat the disease like what it is — an inconvenience. No one ever worried or complained their way into being a winner. It takes hard work, dedication and concentration. “I plan to keep on roping, keep on winning and plan to tell others with asthma not to worry about the dis ease, but to concentrate on winning the goals they have set for them selves.” This year he won more tha n $67,000, more than any other cow boy in the history of rodeo in one event in a single season FOSTER STAINED GLASS STUDIO Personal line of Christmas Gifts Stained glass Christmas ornaments etched and beveled glass hobbies & supplies At Dad's class The resif director at both regret Also witl People c leave the s will be mis But I cai fence and r i rebuilt a c outfit. Yet The offit Cleveland. Battalion photo by THd,^ Sge a Texas A&M University soccer instructor Steve Cone brought his daughter, Lisa Cone, 2, to class Thursday. She is recuper- ating from an appendectomy and will return to her day school soon. Crippled TCUer raps U.S. MDs United Press International GRAPEVINE— Kent Waldrep, who traveled to the Soviet to advance his dream of escaping his wheelchair, returned horn Sunday and said the atttitude of American medicine should be changed “We have to fight a battle," said W aldrep, 24, who was paralyzed from the waist down while playing football for Texas Christian Uni versity four years ago. "And we have to win that battle Waldrep spent six weeeks at the Polenov Institute in Leningral undergoing treatment which has improved his coordination anddei terity. He still cannot move his legs. The Soviet doctors injected an enzyme designed to break dm scar tissue around Waldrep’s spinal cord. The enzyme Ledazahasitt been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Waldrep, accompanied by his mother and father, brought back supply of the enzyme. "I don’t want to get into a fight with neurosurgeons,” said Waldrep who was greeted by 200 cheering people upon his arrival from Lon don. "But, some of those neurosurgeons seem to have lieen critical d me. “It’s our attitude that needs to he changed. The Soviets do not ban the facilities we do, but they are getting things done. They have positive approach “After examining me over there, they told me there was ho neei for an operation. They said my spiral cord was in excellent condition "I had a doctor here sit down with me for 30 minutes and told (without even examining me) that my spiral cord was damaged that nothing could be done. He said that just because of the injun that I had. That tends to make me a little bitter. Waldrep said he has more feeling in his stomach and back muscle and far better coordination in his arms and hands than he did when lx left. "The treatment I received ought to be available to anybody IN ABR at the facili proposal p job as hea< Fry has i held since strong aim ship in on< But the had two w the challei SMU and WHEN I made so and prese Green, to “I think told me. work with have. “Fry ha his player: to go for c Big 10.” I put in the Fry ft school wi Iowa. “OF C< our team. “But I come her rejected i can't blan “But T Fry wil his assistc to North But he Iowa. Ev see if Ha And w Ob or wheelchair," said Waldrep, who received his injury from a tadi during an October 1974 game against Alabama. "When I went there I thought I was awfully strong, but it is incred ible what they did in six weeks. They said I was only the thin! American they had treated and that I offered them the best patien! they had had from the U.S. because of the strengh I had and bean* of the condition of my spinal cord f , In addition to the enzyme, Waldrep began a specially designs se 0 series of physical therapy exercises and underwent oxygen treatment sec inside a closed chamber. During the treatment he stood in as] designed walker and doctors moved his feet. Unitec ORLANC s laughin mager. Over the rs have ei their ow ‘ague and d with th ept out, He said he would continue the therapy which he said was an in portant part of the overall treatment and would continue to recem the enzyme injections from his parents who were trained by Sovift , doctors. Anybody who is interested in the therapy should know about! metimes \ and I will write anybody who wants to know about it and giveitte urs. them,” said Waldrep. “When I get up it may lie on crutches. Buli> long as I’m in a wheelchair it confines my entire iamiiy. Anythin? 1 person can do to improve himself, he should try it. People who have cancer or muscular dystrophy seek ways tom themselves better. It is human nature to try to improve yoursellm 1 situation like that. I don’t look upon this as a false hope for anyone.' job feel it is positive treatment.” . Funds for the trip were raised in Fort Worth where Waldrep" 01 as an asssistant sports information director at TCU. Waldrep gressman, House Majority Leader James Wright, helped cut t roup some of the red tape and smoothed Waldrep s trip to the Union. „ fllui “Believe it or not, I am not too tired now that I have seen£ By July includi rt, ’ said V Sparky A hack, wa people. It has my adrenalin flowing, ” said Waldrep at the end of nine-hour flight from London. 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