T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM Dr. Kenneth Cooper of Swiss Valley Foot & Ankle Center stands outside his Barnesville office next to a sign congratulating him on his 20 years of practice.

BARNESVILLE — Dr. Kenneth Cooper, owner of the Swiss Valley Foot and Ankle Center, celebrated 20 years in practice this week at the Barnesville and Woodsfield locations.

Swiss Valley staff and patients celebrated the milestone with lunch, cake, refreshments and reminiscing about the years Thursday in Barnesville. The celebrations continued Friday, when another party was held at the podiatrist’s original location in Woodsfield.

Cooper owns three practices in the Ohio Valley. His first office is in Woodsfield, which he opened July 6, 2002, followed by a second location in Barnesville that same year. In 2015, a third location was opened in St. Clairsville.

After speaking to a podiatrist when he was younger, he quickly decided that it was something he wanted to be involved in due to the family-friendly environment it offered.

“I always knew I wanted to be a doctor, and I had a vague idea that I wanted to do surgery,” he said. “In podiatry, it’s very family-friendly. That was the big draw for me.”

Following Cooper’s graduation from West Virginia University, he attended and graduated from medical school at the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine. Upon completing his residency at the University Hospitals/Cleveland Clinic, he was invited to Woodsfield by Dr. Cynthia Dix, a chiropractor who had an opening at the building she worked in. Within days of that visit, he decided that the village was a great fit for his office.

Cooper said he has learned many things over his years in the field.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned over 20 years of practice is that you’ve got to spend a lot of time educating your patients and making them advocate with you to get them better,” he said.

“Medicine has changed a lot in 20 years, and I still like to have a hands-on approach.”

One of the most interesting aspects of his job is being able to treat multiple generations both young and old, he said.

“It’s neat to have whole families where I have grandparents all the way down to great-grandkids. My oldest patient is 105, and I treat as young as 2 months old,” he said.

He said the interactions with his patients and being able to get to know each of them has been the highlight of his career. Over the years, a variety of patients have shown their gratitude through thoughtful gifts and tips. One patient, Irene Vasbinder, created a painting for him to show her appreciation for his work. Another patient, a now-deceased World War II veteran, would bake and deliver the doctor a cherry pie every year. Others have brought him drawings, cards and given him helpful tips for some of his hobbies, Cooper’s wife, Karena Reusser, said.

Wilda Perkins, a patient and employee at Cooper’s other business, Modern Home & Hardware, spoke highly of Cooper.

“(H)e is very good and he cares about his patients, which I happen to be one,” she said, adding that he is highly recommended by his patients.

Those interested in Swiss Valley’s services can call 740-472-2259 to schedule an appointment at any of the three locations.