“Falling: A Daughter, a Father, and a Journey Back”

Almost ten years ago, children’s book author and illustrator Elisha Cooper experienced one of those life-changing events that parents fear and hope will never happen to their families.  It was discovered that his five-year-old daughter Zoe had a lump that was eventually diagnosed as Wilms’ tumor, a rare kidney cancer.  For the next several years Zoe underwent surgery, chemotherapy and countless doctor’s appointments.  Today,  Zoe is a thirteen-year-old healthy teenager who is cancer free.

During the years that his daughter was undergoing medical treatment, Cooper “fell apart.” When Zoe’s four-and five-year checkups came back clear, Cooper said he was able to begin to write about his ordeal.  In his newly-released book “Falling:  A Daughter, A Father and a Journey Back,” Cooper chronicles his feelings of anger, fear, and sadness.

In a recent interview, it was mentioned that one of Cooper’s children’s books “Homer” was written during Zoe’s illness.  Homer is about a dog who “sits on the porch and worries about his family.”  Cooper says “I realized that old dog was me.”