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A Gift for the Children
From left: Terri Kennedy and Patricia M. DePompei, RN, MSN
From large galas and Circle of Friends community fundraising events to lemonade stands and Children’s Miracle Network campaigns, the Rainbow Foundation has raised, stewarded and safeguarded individual, corporate and foundation gifts from across the region for over 132 years in support of our community’s children. In the fall of 2019, the foundation announced a $34.5 million commitment to UH Rainbow, the largest gift in the history of both the hospital and the foundation.
In addition to supporting UH Rainbow’s clinical services, the Rainbow Foundation’s gift will encourage recruitment of top specialists, support advocacy and education on topics from lead paint remediation to mental and behavioral health services, and advance research for new therapies to treat patients from newborn to young adulthood.
“This extraordinary gift comes at a pivotal moment for UH Rainbow and our vision for the hospital,” said Patti DePompei, RN, MSN, President, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s and UH MacDonald Women’s hospitals. “The Rainbow Foundation continues to provide resources and support needed to further strengthen our position as Northeast Ohio’s leading children’s hospital.”
A portion of the Rainbow Foundation’s gift also established the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Foundation Chair in Leadership and Innovation, with Patti DePompei as the inaugural recipient. “The Rainbow Foundation wanted to mark a milestone in Patti’s 30-year career with a meaningful gift to UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s. Her vision as a leader and community champion ties back to the hospital’s roots of caring for all children and their families. We can’t wait to see what’s next,” said Terri.
Additional funds from the Rainbow Foundation have been allocated for challenge grants to inspire the creation of endowed chairs, directorships and master clinicians. The Marsha L. Antonucci Distinguished Chair of Pediatrics is the first chair to be established using these matching funds. Awarded to Marlene R. Miller, MD, MSc, Pediatrician-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, the Antonucci Chair was established in 2019 by the Antonucci Family in honor of their beloved wife and mother, Marsha.
