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CATALYST GRANTS
From Patient to Child Again
By Tim Neptune
Patient Ava Cooper and her father shared a special moment in the hospital when members of her care team put on a father-daughter dance just for them. | Photo: Annie O'Neill
The team at Cleveland Clinic Children’s decorated patient Evan Lallo’s hospital room to celebrate his last round of chemotherapy for Ewing sarcoma. | Photo: Courtesy of Megan Lallo
Childhood is shaped by memorable moments like birthday parties, school dances and graduations. But for some pediatric patients at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, long hospital stays and serious illnesses can mean missing out on those important life events.
Fortunately, compassionate caregivers work tirelessly to bring comfort, joy and a sense of normalcy to children during treatment. They already go above and beyond to make the experience feel a little more like home. But Child Life Specialist Caitlin Wolf, MS, CCLS, saw an opportunity to do even more. Together with her co-applicants — Art Therapist Meredith McCulloch, MA, ATR-BC, PC, REAT, LPAT, and Child Life Specialist Jordan Oldham, CCLS — Caitlin pursued a Catalyst Grant to turn that vision into reality.
“So much is taken from these kids when they’re in the hospital,” says Caitlin. “So many things happen to them that are out of their control. The funding allowed us to give these experiences back to them, helping them to feel like kids again and not just patients.”
“We absolutely would not have been able to do a lot of it without the Catalyst Grant. It’s made a powerful impact. Every kid, every family — even those facing the same diagnosis and treatment — experiences their journey in a completely different way. This support allowed us to celebrate them and their milestones.”
Caitlin Wolf
Cleveland Clinic’s CATALYST GRANTS pool donations to fund the brightest ideas from our caregivers to improve patient outcomes and experiences. To date, more than 400 grants have been awarded, representing a total of $20 million in support.
Thanks to this initiative, countless moments have been created for patients at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. Ava Cooper shared a father-daughter dance in a Valentine’s-themed hospital room. The team decked out Evan Lallo’s hospital room with Cleveland Cavaliers-themed items and decals of players to commemorate the completion of his 14 cycles of chemotherapy. Other special touches include recordable storybooks where parents can record their voices, and scrapbooks filled with Polaroid pictures and personalized notes from caregivers.
“The Catalyst Grant helped make those things happen,” says Caitlin. “It allows families to feel seen and cared for in ways that go beyond traditional medicine. Yes, we’re giving these kids the best medical care, but we’re also helping care for their families as a whole. That’s what this work is really about.”