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.
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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
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The resif
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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
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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.
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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£
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people. It has my adrenalin flowing, ” said Waldrep at the end of
nine-hour flight from London.
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