Colors for Colette to Benefit UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital

Members of the community and local artists use chalk to create hope and healing for families impacted by pediatric cancer.

Every August, the sidewalks along Adelbert Road near UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital (UH Rainbow) are beautifully decorated in honor of Colette, a little girl from Avon who passed away from a brain tumor just before her second birthday.

Colors for Colette is an annual fundraiser fueled by physician-led teams at UH Rainbow, where Colette spent most of her 21 months of life. Team Neurosurgery Research led by pediatric neurosurgeon Krystal Tomei, MD, MPH; Team Pediatric Oncology overseen by pediatric neuro-oncologist Duncan Stearns, MD; and Team PICU headed up by Steven Shein, MD, Chief of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at UH Rainbow.

Colette was diagnosed at 10 weeks old with a rare and aggressive brain tumor that filled one-third of her brain. During her short life, she underwent four neurosurgeries performed by Dr. Tomei. Dr. Stearns oversaw her chemotherapy, radiation treatments and bone marrow transplant. Colette spent months in the PICU, where pediatric intensivists like Dr. Shein worked to extend her life. During her last month in hospice at home Colette was visited by her doctors and other caregivers.

Colors for Colette supports pediatric cancer research, pediatric oncology/Rainbow 7 and the PICU at UH Rainbow. The event features Colette's three doctors taking turns in a “dunk the doc" booth, games, crafts, food, special appearances by princesses, superheroes, UH PetPals therapy animals and of course chalk art!

“Colette spent most of her life at Rainbow," said her mother Katie Piazza, RN, who works in the Emergency Department at UH St. John Medical Center. “We were able to see firsthand how that team at Rainbow cared about Colette as we did, they were so invested."

When she died in 2019, her 4-year-old brother suggested they celebrate Colette's birthday with chalk art she could see from heaven, Katie said. Today local sponsors include JoAnn Fabrics and Kaulig Giving and local artists join families in filling the sidewalks surrounding UH Rainbow with artwork. Pediatric inpatients even have the opportunity to request a theme that is then chalked by a local artist.

“Colette touched so many of us when she was here," Dr. Tomei said. “We met her when she was so young, and it's so hard to balance the mixed emotions of knowing that even the best care and best science couldn't cure her, but what we could give her and her family was the gift of time together.

“To see how the Piazzas embraced her short but wonderful life is truly heartwarming, and I love that they are paying it forward through Colors for Colette to help more families here are Rainbow going through the same thing. I'm honored to have been a part of Colette's care and thrilled to be a part of such a fantastic ongoing way to celebrate her life."

The first event in 2021 raised $20,000 and they've surpassed that goal so far this year. Colette's physicians spearhead a friendly competition between their departments, with the top fundraising team winning Mitchell's ice cream for all caregivers in the department.

“We thought this would be a beautiful way to honor Colette's legacy," said Katie, who will be at the event with her husband, Tim, Colette's older brother, and two children born since her passing: Anne, 8 months, and Nicholas Stearns, 3, named after Colette's oncologist.

When: Saturday, August 19, from 2 – 4 p.m.
Where: Lakeside Gardens on UH Cleveland Medical Center campus (2101 Adelbert Road)