Defying the Establishment
Despite this progress, his experiments were not well received by the medical community. Cooper championed shifting the field of medicine from treatment to prevention, which alarmed many of his colleagues. The Dallas Board of Censures even considered revoking his medical license for conducting treadmill tests on people with heart disease.
When he was called before the board, Cooper presented the treadmill stress test data he had collected on people with and without coronary disease, demonstrating such a convincing case for the benefits of these tests that the board voted against revoking his license.
Despite winning the battle, Cooper still faced tremendous resistance from the establishment. Then the tide shifted. Through his books, international speaking tours, and, most importantly, the health benefits patients gained from his treatment recommendations, Cooper earned the trust of people all over the world. Tens of thousands would travel to Texas to consult with him, and those who didn’t visit in person wrote letters of appreciation.
Cooper’s determination during the dark times was fueled by his devout Christian faith, according to his son, Dr. Tyler Cooper. “He wants to serve other people through the gifts he’s been given,” Tyler says.
Today, the Cooper Aerobics Center, which began as a two-room office, now encompasses six businesses, including a fitness center with more than 56,000 square feet of indoor amenities and 30 acres of outdoor space. The center
is home to Cooper Clinic, a comprehensive care center with many specialties, from cardiology to sleep medicine to nutrition, and a day spa, hotel, supplements company and B2B arm.
“They told me 54 years ago that I could not be successful in limiting my practice to taking care of healthy people,” Cooper says. Now, the Cooper Clinic boasts a six-month waiting list and a 74% return rate of patients.
Cooper is now routinely honored by the groups that once shunned him, including the Dallas County Medical Society and the Texas Medical Association, which recently offered him an honorary lifetime membership.
“My first response was, ‘You’re sure you have the right Dr. Cooper?’” Cooper recalls.
His contributions fundamentally changed the way physicians and other healthcare professionals practice medicine, says Tedd L. Mitchell, MD, chancellor of Texas Tech University System.
“We take for granted that physical fitness and lifestyle habits are important components of a healthy routine, but we often don’t appreciate that it was the efforts of Dr. Cooper and a handful of other pioneers who, like him, created the foundation for the work we all do today,” Mitchell says.
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry, a long-time patient of Cooper, worked with him to introduce Texas Senate Bill 530 in 2007 to make FitnessGram, a health-related fitness assessment program designed to combat obesity and poor health in children, a mandatory statewide program.
“No one in historic, present, or future terms will have as much impact on physical health and mental health as Dr. Kenneth Cooper. His relentless drive, his substantial focus and his love for mankind as well as his vision for a better, healthier future is unequaled,” Perry says.
Another of Cooper’s patients, Arthur Blank, the co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the Atlantic Falcons, says, “From the very start of his career in the military, he has embodied a deep commitment to service. He has become a cornerstone of modern fitness, inspiring generations to embrace active lifestyles and prioritize preventive healthcare.”
Cooper continues to lecture around the world and recently completed a four part documentary series, The Power of Prevention. Retirement isn’t an option.
Despite the data showing that regular exercise can improve health and prolong life, many people still suffer from poor health due to lack of physical activity.
There’s still work to do.
