The tragic tale of Bailey Cooper is enough to bring tears to anyone’s eyes.

Even in the midst of pain, fear, and exhaustion, he maintained a bright and cheerful disposition, always managing to smile, laugh, and uplift those around him, reminding everyone that bravery is often found in the smallest of hearts.

In February 2017, the family received their first glimmer of hope in months, as doctors confirmed that Bailey’s cancer was in remission and he could return home to school, rejoin his friends, and begin to reclaim a sense of normalcy in his life.

For a brief moment, the Coopers dared to hope that the nightmare was over, that their little boy would finally be allowed to enjoy the joys of childhood once again without the looming shadow of disease hanging over him.

They celebrated cautiously, aware that cancer could be unpredictable, but allowing themselves to dream of ordinary days, of laughter in classrooms, and of family outings unburdened by hospital corridors.

Yet life, in its cruel unpredictability, struck again. By Easter of that same year, the family was summoned to the hospital for a routine checkup that would shatter their fragile hopes.

The doctors delivered the gut-wrenching news that Bailey’s cancer had returned, forcing the family to face the reality that their young boy would once again have to fight for his life against a merciless adversary.Continue reading…