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They need your help to shine. Support the Catalyst Grants program.
"AHA!"
The lightbulb blinks in your head. It’s an idea. Everything that has improved human life started as a jolt of inspiration. We all have those lightbulb moments. But some of them could change the world.
Catalyst Grants are awarded to Cleveland Clinic employees, called caregivers, with ideas to improve the lives of our patients, our organization and our communities around the world. Created in 2018, the concept behind Catalyst Grants was to inspire as many ideas as possible from caregivers. We paved a way to put these plans into action that is accessible to any caregiver – from patient transporters to world-renowned researchers. Twice a year, caregivers from across the nation submit applications to make their cases on why their projects should be funded. These range from creating a space for nurses to cope after losing a patient to developing robotic systems to measure rigidity of Parkinson’s patients.
Thomas Edison invented the first patentable light bulb in 1879. His cotton filament cost about $40,000 (more or less $1 million today) to develop. Financial backers helped make this happen.
Illuminating Philanthropy
Our caregivers are bursting with ideas. We have received nearly two thousand applications and awarded millions of dollars in funding to hundreds of caregiver-led projects. Donations are pooled together to support the brightest of them. Grants are awarded twice a year in amounts up to $100,000. On average, $1.5 million is granted each round.
A Good Problem to Have
Only 18% of ideas are funded.
With your help, we can change this.
Bringing Inspiring Ideas to Life
It is astounding just how many incredible proposals we have received. Our caregivers are inspired as they see the needs of our patients and the needs within each other. In turn, we’re motivated to build upon our foundation of healthcare excellence. Unfortunately, we cannot fund them all. Not without your help.
Awardees are required to use their Catalyst Grants within a year. This means your gift is making a difference right away. Caregivers must fill out an application and include a budget for their proposed project. A multidisciplinary review team scores all applications. Caregivers are then awarded in January and July every year.
Putting the Dollars to Work
Caregivers’ ideas are the lightbulb. Your support is the electricity. Our glowing filament advances healthcare, improves outcomes and saves more lives.
It’s Electric!
These initiatives can even turn into permanent programs within our enterprise and be used in various locations around the world. We are limited only by the philanthropic support we receive from our generous donors, as we have a plethora of ideas from caregivers. Our brighter future is happening now, and you can be part of it.
Ideas Have Power
New tech is measuring rigidity in PD patients that helps optimize treatments.
Managing Parkinson’s Disease
A novel study led to Oral Immunotherapy becoming a service line.
Solutions for Peanut Allergies
Aromatherapy is proving to ease patients’ anxiety during cardiac MRIs.
Soothing MRI Fear with Smell
A program in Florida is sending indigent patients off with essentials they need now.
Better Preparing Patients to Heal
Ideas That Shine
A recording studio is helping pediatric patients heal their emotional wounds.
Patients Healing Through Hip-Hop
A caregiver is addressing the stigma surrounding Dementia through a six-week program.
Dementia Workshop Educating Patients
Losing patients affects our caregivers, and now there is a space for them to heal.
Lavender Lounge for Nurses
With so many innovative ideas, it’s hard for us to pick what projects to award – especially when lives are on the line. Gifts of all sizes make a difference, and we are grateful. With gifts of $10,000 or more, even more big ideas can come to life this year. It is not often you hear about this kind of initiative. In its six years, the Catalyst Grants program has already made a profound impact on our global healthcare system. Thanks to philanthropic partners like you, we are able to improve the health and well-being of our patients and caregivers. Your gift is the electrifying investment.
The Electricity
Your generosity brings caregivers’ ideas to life. Consider supporting the Catalyst Grants program.
Start powering big ideas today.
Catalyst Grants In Motion
Assisted Excercise to Improve Motor & Cognitive Function in MS Patients
Exoskeleton for MS Rehabilitation Project
First Voices Program
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Parkinson’s Disease – Incurable but Becoming Manageable
David Escobar, PhD Assistant Staff, Director, Neural Dynamics and Modulation Lab at Lerner Research Institute $99,242 grant
Lightbulb Moment!
Dr. David Escobar was in need of a device that could quantify the subtle changes in patients’ rigidity and a solution for assessing differences in current therapies and developing new approaches. There was nothing on the market like this to buy. So, he applied for a Catalyst Grant. His team created a pair of robotic systems that can be placed on the wrist and elbow. Sensors measure how much torque is exerted with movement. That information is sent to their computer where algorithms determine the type of rigidity (stiffness vs. viscosity) and its degree with accuracy. Because of this quantitative approach, we are better equipped to diagnose and treat this progressive disorder.
New tech is measuring the rigidity – the inability of muscles to relax – in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. A pair of robotic systems will help optimize current treatments and assess new therapeutic approaches for patients with this neurodegenerative disease. Most commonly, PD affects people once they reach 60 years old, but it can start with those as young as 20. This condition causes a chain reaction in your body. An area of your brain starts to deteriorate, which then alters multiple circuits in the brain. This circuit alteration leads to our body stiffening, causing a hunched posture and altered walking gait. It also leads to tremors, slowed movements and balance problems. Motor symptoms, including cramping of the hands, a lack of facial movement and even trouble swallowing, can also take effect. There is no cure. There is no way of preventing it.
Conquering the Unknown
For some patients, genetics could contribute to the development of PD. However, it is unknown what causes the disease in most cases. Thanks to advances in treatment at Cleveland Clinic, we can help patients manage it. One option is medication. Another option is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) – a therapy in which an implanted electrode device delivers electricity to specific brain areas. What can be done to optimize medication and DBS treatments? We can look at objective measures of motor signs and adjust treatments. Neurologists use a five-point scale to gauge the movement of a patient’s arms and legs – zero is healthy, and four is severe. Although clinicians are highly trained, sometimes there is bias alongside day-to-day variability with patient fatigue.
“It’s like a seed. It’s an investment that enables us to grow.”
PD is the second most common age-related degenerative brain disease, impacting many people. Dr. Escobar is motivated by this. His research on rigidity quantification is part of a larger program where he is developing techniques and technology to optimize DBS and narrow the variability of outcomes across patients. One of his goals is to fully automate systems to pinpoint the exact location where devices must be placed and tune the DBS devices once they are implanted. The goal of this is to determine the optimal settings, timing and location to deliver electricity in each patient. Ultimately, he wants to cut down on the DBS programming time and associated healthcare costs while providing the best DBS can offer. His incredible research and innovative devices are only made possible because of donors.
More Research Is Needed
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Building a Tolerance to Peanut Allergens
Jaclyn Bjelac, MD Associate Director, Food Allergy Center of Excellence, Department, Center of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology $30,000 grant
Dr. Jaclyn Bjelac was awarded a Catalyst Grant in 2019 to launch a novel study that used boiled peanuts to desensitize patients to their allergen. A small, dedicated group of kids participated in the study, and the results were abundantly clear – an allergen could be modified for treatment. This study opened the door for our team to make their case: We can treat kids using OIT in a safe way. Now, it’s part of our standard clinical practice.
You smear strawberry jelly with some peanut butter in between two slices of bread, and you have just made a quick lunch for the kids. However, not every parent has that luxury. Peanut allergies affect more than one million kids in the United States. But oral immunotherapy (OIT) is helping. Just a few years ago, treating children with the food to which they are allergic was unheard of. Now, it’s routine. It doesn’t mean it’s easy. Cleveland Clinic is one of the few academic medical centers in the country to offer OIT to little ones because of the risks involved. The reward is more than worth it.
“The Catalyst Grant set us up for opportunities to apply for extramural funding to continue to look for ways to make oral immunotherapy safer and better tolerated for patients and families.”
This study confirmed a concept that is just the beginning of treating peanut allergies and the like. The proteins in roasted peanuts, like what we see in peanut butter, cause much more serious reactions than in boiled peanuts. The data shows we can teach the immune system to stop overreacting to roasted peanuts by slowly integrating powdered boiled peanuts in the form of a powder.
Unintended but Happy Coincidence
The starting dose for treatment is about three to six milligrams. The typical peanut is about 250 milligrams of protein on average. Serious safety events, like anaphylaxis, can occur even with small amounts. We are proud to offer OIT, but it is not a process without risk. Currently, Cleveland Clinic is offering OIT for roasted peanuts, eggs, fish, milk, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, wheat and more. Because of the Catalyst Grant, Dr. Bjelac and her team were able to conduct the study which sparked OIT becoming a service line that we offer to not only kids but adults as well.
Don’t Try This at Home
The results with preschoolers are particularly exciting as most can freely eat full servings of food without daily dosing. In other cases, kids are becoming bite tolerant – If they accidentally take a bite of peanut, they can stop without the worry of reacting. At Cleveland Clinic, we are always working to improve our treatments, even when they are already great. The data from this study and the knowledge from current OIT treatments are equipping our team to help ease parents’ fears. However, additional studies are needed.
A Sense of Comfort With Protection
Angel Houston Cardiac MRI Technologist $96,965 grant
She was awarded a Catalyst Grant to launch her study where she could test the benefits of using essential oils during cardiac imaging. Because of this funding, she was able to purchase scent packs that are placed on the MRI machine when a patient goes in. The grant also allowed her to have a research coordinator who recruits patients and keeps track of the data. If a patient is sensitive to smell, there are tabs on the packs for varying levels of strength. It takes caring for someone a step further for Houston. She wants to get patients through their MRIs and get the answers they need.
Laying in an MRI machine has never been a pleasant experience. It’s like you’re strapping into a spaceship – but less fun. Instead of outer space, one caregiver had the idea to transport you to somewhere more relaxing through aromatherapy. On average, it takes 45 minutes for a cardiac MRI. That is a long time for someone to lie still on their back, all the while remaining “relaxed.” You’re inserted into a small space with the machine that goes bump in the daylight and beeps like a video game.
It’s Not Nap Time
For some MRIs, patients can fall asleep. But for cardiac MRIs, the patient must participate in a series of breathing instructions. This is vital because the technologist takes pictures of the heart, showing how well the valves are working and how the blood is flowing. Sometimes, it uncovers damage. It is an important step in diagnosing the patient. The average patient may find this uncomfortable. However, about 1 in 15 patients are claustrophobic (an intense fear of confined spaces). MRI machines can trigger this, leaving some patients unable to proceed with the imaging. It becomes a huge problem for not only the patient but the tech and physician. Patients are sometimes given sedatives to calm down.
“If I didn’t have the Catalyst Grant, I would not have been able to do 90% of what I’m doing now. The resources wouldn’t have been there.”
It’s a win-win for the clinician, the tech and the patient. The more the patient relaxes, the better their breath holds are. Their heart rate is more consistent, and the image quality comes out better. Getting an MRI is noninvasive, and it provides valuable information that clinicians use to make a diagnosis. This natural method reduces the need for taking anti-anxiety medications and shortens the recovery time for patient observation afterward. Aromatherapy is not for everyone, but Houston encourages all patients to give it a try.
Relaxation Is Key
And Angel Houston had a solution. She had been experimenting with essential oils, like lavender and sandalwood, for years. She saw firsthand the positive benefits of aromatherapy, especially with patients that were claustrophobic. She will tell you that many patients don’t even know they are claustrophobic until their heart starts to race going into the machine. Involuntary movement also causes a snag in the process. Some people are just scared.
Houston: “We have a problem.”
Sending Patients Off Better Prepared to Heal
Lorraine Rhoden, MBA Program Manager II, Education Institute, Cleveland Clinic Florida $28,000 grant
Lorraine Rhoden’s heart broke every time she watched an indigent patient walk out the door. When she read about the Catalyst Grant, she knew she had to apply. And she got it. She started the Discharge with Dignity program with the goal of improving patient experience and overall well-being. Every person should have a sense of dignity when they are in our care — a value that is near and dear to her.
Imagine being discharged from the hospital with nothing but a gown on, a pair of socks and a plastic bag. For some patients at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, this was a reality. One of our caregivers knew something could be done for patients experiencing homelessness. About 30% of patients seen at the Behavioral Health Center are indigent or close to it. Because of the challenges they face, the rate of readmission was high. Thanks to a Catalyst Grant, that rate has dropped.
“I felt, like, so lucky to be able to help our patients because I didn’t have direct patient care, so, this was a way for me to help patients in my own way.”
When patients are first admitted to the Behavioral Health Center, they are experiencing a mental health crisis. They are often scared, confused or anxious. So, they need support. On top of that, many are experiencing homelessness and can’t afford the basic necessities of life. No one wants to be discharged in a hospital gown. This is especially true for patients – including kids – released from behavioral health. There is already a sense of indignity, let alone not having the means to buy a T-shirt.
A Sense of Indignity
This program allows caregivers to supply patients with clothing and other essentials as soon as they step into the hospital and when they step out. We provide a survey asking what they need. Many times, it is essentials (toothbrushes, combs or menstrual products) we take for granted. When they are ready to be released, they are given a backpack with these essentials and others, like sunscreen, a blanket and flip-flops. The gratitude we have seen is truly moving.
Low Resource, High Impact
Since Cleveland Clinic started providing patients with these items, we have seen a drop in readmission rates. Patients feel more comfortable attending follow-up appointments and are taking better care of their health. Every patient can now focus on their treatment and recovery regardless of how they got there. Because of this one-time grant, Discharge with Dignity is up and running and will continue to lend a hand to our community.
Unexpected Benefits
Losing Patients Affects Nurses Too
Stephanie Smith, BSN, RN, CCRN Assistant Nurse Manager, Medical ICU $11,090 grant
Smith is the warmhearted caregiver behind the Lavender Lounge. It is a room within the hospital where caregivers can decompress after an upsetting experience. In it, you will find a full-body massage chair, stereo, coloring books, coffee and other items that provide comfort or distraction. There are also journals for caregivers to write their big feelings down on paper.
At Cleveland Clinic, we take care of our own in many ways. But one nurse could see there was a need unfulfilled. She applied for a Catalyst Grant. When someone loses a loved one, it is difficult to process, and nurses are no exception. Nurses spend 12-hour shifts with patients and their families for days in a row. That much time develops a bond. So, Stephanie Smith’s idea for a calming space for nurses to go after losing a patient was much needed.
“It is really important to us to know that we can have a little dream and actually get funding for it and make it happen.”
In many hospitals, there are no designated private areas for caregivers to go to grieve the loss of a patient. Cleveland Clinic has a response team – Code Lavender – that assists during traumatic events. This team consists of nurses, chaplains and other caregivers. However, everyone handles emotions differently. It is hard for a nurse to take the time to collect themselves, especially when they have other patients that need care. The job doesn’t stop. This can be difficult when the feelings overflow a nurse’s capacity to keep it together. So, they go somewhere they can cry. Oftentimes, it is a bathroom stall.
Overwhelming Feelings
Finding a room within the hospital for anything like this can be difficult. We put patients first and their needs above anything else. But we must also support our caregivers as best as we can. Self-care is vital to our nurses – a caregiver population that does not often take care of themselves. We must make it easier for them. If we are not taking care of our nurses, then they can’t give their 100% to our patients.
Real Estate Challenges
Being a nurse is not easy. Because of their dedication, they wait to eat a meal or use the bathroom. We aren’t waiting to do something for them. We are creating more Lavender Lounges throughout the enterprise. Nursing is consistently voted as the most trusted profession. Feeling the effects of the job is natural. We must prioritize our team’s mental health so they can continue to confidently take care of our community.
It’s a Calling
Dementia Workshop Challenging Stigma, Educating on Prevention
Kate Ingalsby, Med, CDP Program Manager, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health $9,737 grant
Kate Ingalsby, a caregiver at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, says there is fear and even embarrassment around the diseases. So, people don’t talk about them. After receiving a Cleveland Clinic Catalyst Grant, Ingalsby and her colleague, Katurah Hartley, designed a community-based course to teach people about brain health. Their six-week program, the 6 Pillars of Brain Health, focuses on a different topic each week, including exercise, nutrition, medical health, sleep and relaxation, mental fitness and social interaction. Evidence shows that simple lifestyle modifications can help reduce the risks of memory and cognitive decline.
A Cleveland Clinic caregiver is addressing the stigma surrounding dementia and educating patients on how to take care of neurodegenerative diseases before they start. Dementia impacts millions of people across the United States. It is the umbrella term for the many diseases that impact people’s thinking, memory and behavior, like Alzheimer’s disease. About one in 16 people over the age of 65 have dementia with around half of people 85 years or older having some form of it. Alzheimer’s disease is the fifth leading cause of death in Americans aged 65 and older.
“It would have been challenging, financially, to introduce a new program like this without the Catalyst Grant. We wouldn’t have been able to pull the resources together without the funding and without Cleveland Clinic’s support.”
The 6 Pillars of Brain Health was born from a classroom assignment while Ingalsby was in the Master of Education in Health Professions Education (MEHPE) degree program, a collaboration between Cleveland State University and Cleveland Clinic. Anyone can participate in the workshop as brain health is not just something you take care of when there’s a problem. Researchers believe dementia may start 10 years or more before patients show symptoms. “Educating people and putting that positive spin on the word dementia has been really helpful for our patients,” Kate Ingalsby, Med, CDP, Program Manager, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, says. The duo has held two evidence-informed workshops so far and impacted 34 participants from both rural and urban communities. They have also developed participant guides, leader manuals and measurable assessments. Their passion for educating patients about dementia is unwavering but additional philanthropy is needed to continue their efforts.
Not Just Homework
Pediatric Patients With Significant Trauma Healing Through Hip-hop
Ashley Everett, CTRS Senior Recreation Therapist, Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation $40,100 grant
Everett combined rehabilitation with the talents of Refresh Collective, a nonprofit that empowers youth and adults through the power of hip-hop. Together, they built the B-Fly Breakthrough program where kids learn how to produce music with teaching artists, all the while taking the necessary steps toward recovery. Following the life cycle of a butterfly, patients grow into the people they want to become within five weeks. They emerge from their final recording session ready to take on the world. According to Everett, this program allows patients to express themselves in a safe and supportive way. “Kids aren't always open to just traditional talk therapy, and they want to be able to address things that are going on in their lives in a way that feels organic and natural to them,” Everett says.
A new in-house recording studio at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation is helping pediatric patients process their trauma through lyric writing and singing. Patients arrive after having experienced significant trauma, like a car accident or gunshot. Ashley Everett, CTRS, had the idea for a novel way to help her patients heal their physical injuries as well as their emotional wounds. All she needed was the means to do it, so she applied for a Cleveland Clinic Catalyst Grant. “When we applied, we had a big jump in the number of patients we were seeing that were being referred after a gunshot injury,” Ashley Everett, CTRS, Senior Recreation Therapist, says. “We felt their stories were very unique in the way that they were understanding what their life would look like now, most of them ending up in a wheelchair after sustaining long-term spinal cord injuries.”
“The Catalyst Grant gave us the financial support to bring teaching artists with Refresh Collective in house and their expertise and knowledge into a setting where they can work side by side with us and the patient.”
The first graduate entered the program as a wheelchair user. He suffered a brain injury as a result of a car accident. Because of his strength and perseverance, he was able to recover and walk out of his final recording session. In February, the team held a grand opening for their recording studio at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation. Currently, only inpatients have participated in the program. But Everett, her team and Refresh Collective hope to expand their efforts in the future. Once the funds from the Catalyst Grants are depleted, the team will continue their commitment but will need additional philanthropy to lend a helping hand to more pediatric patients.
First To Fly
