(St. George, UT) - Golfers flock to St. George year-round to participate in various tournaments, but few are quite like this one. It is not the chance to win a trip to watch the Masters in Georgia that is drawing people to compete at this tournament. It's not the great golfing at the Golf Digest rated “best golf course in Utah”. The attraction to participate is the 2nd Annual Matthew S. Cooper Golf Tournament Saturday, September 25, 2010 and the determined efforts of one St. George couple to help their physically disabled son learn to walk. All proceeds of the tournament go directly to this cause.

Matthew Cooper was born on March 1, 2006. He suffered brain impairment due to lack of oxygen because of a uterine rupture that affected Matt's fine, gross and oral motor skills. He was later diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Doctors were prepared to tell the Cooper family they would lose their child, but parents and son fought on. “Before Matt's third birthday he was not doing well at all,” said Laura Cooper, Matt’s mother. “In some regards we felt he was losing abilities.”

The Cooper family began raising money to attend intensive therapy at a non-profit organization they discovered in Provo called Now I Can. Founded by a mother whose daughter also had cerebral palsy, Now I Can offered a specialized intensive therapy originated in Poland.

“After taking him to his first session at Now I Can Matt's energy level, strength and overall abilities greatly improved,” said Laura Cooper. “Traditional therapy plays a role in Matt's development; however, it is the intensive physical therapy at Now I Can that opens up doors that before seemed to be shutting.”

Matt Cooper is attending another session of therapy in a few weeks. The Cooper family is grateful for the generous people who are donating efforts to help their son become increasingly independent.

The golf tournament is Saturday, September 25, 2010 with an 8:00AM shotgun start at the Sunbrook Golf Course, 2240 Sunbrook Drive, St. George, Utah 84770. Registration is $79 for single participants or $316 for a team of four. Each participant will get a Dixie Direct Book for the rest of 2010. To register go to Golf4Matt.com.