Sherman Family Legacy Fuels Discovery at UH Rainbow
Some gifts are as much about the past as they are the future. With a $1 million donation to UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s, Lewis Sherman is honoring his late wife, Susan Sherman, by investing in pediatric research and helping families in need of specialty pediatric care.
The newly established Rainbow Healing and Discovery Fund will advance pediatric research, with a special interest in immunotherapy and an immediate application to neurogenetics. It will also facilitate improvements to clinical spaces across UH Rainbow. In recognition of this gift, the Sherman family is recognized in the Jeannette and Frank Zagara Pediatric Specialty Clinic, where the Sue and Lew Sherman Family Lounge welcomes 12,000 patients yearly with a whimsical aesthetic that sparks imagination, encourages play and reduces anxiety for young visitors.
A gift with lasting impact
The impact on families is fitting for Sue and Lew. The couple moved from the East Coast to Cleveland where Lew launched a company serving manufacturers in the automotive aftermarket. They raised their children, Judy and Gil, here and Sue worked at the Cleveland Sight Center, making Braille documents and signage. Later, she served as President of the Beechmont Country Club Women’s Association.
Sue – called “Soopi” by her grandchildren and great-granchildren – was known for her sharp intellect, common-sense values, down-to-earth demeanor, and for her devotion to family as a wife, mother, grandmother of 13, and great-grandmother. Her many interests spanned bridge, tennis, reading, knitting, puzzles and powerwalking up to eight miles daily. Over their 45 years of marriage, Sue and Lew traveled the world and spent their summers in Maine. Lew, an avid fisherman, still returns to the state yearly each summer.
Though the Shermans retired to Florida after Lew sold his business to several of his employees, the gift to UH Rainbow ensures that their Cleveland roots, which grew over the course of four decades in the city, will stay strong.
Lew thoughtfully approached the decision. Sue’s and his dedication to family and kids put UH Rainbow on the shortlist. Lew consulted with Judy, Gil and other trusted sources as he considered his desired impact.
“This was about doing something that matters,” he said. It was also about taking up a cause that affects and unifies us all. “Medicine is one thing we can all get behind,” said Lew, “especially when it’s about helping children.”
Hope for a better tomorrow
Advancements in clinical research areas like immunology, neurogenetics and AI-driven solutions are bringing pediatrics to an inflection point. “Today’s research will save a few people," said Lew, “but I am hopeful that tomorrow it will save many. Major breakthroughs like AI are going to change everything in a blink.”
“Lew’s generosity reflects his brimming optimism and forward-looking attitude,” said Jana Bazzoli, Chief Operating Officer, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s and UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital. “He has already inspired others to think bigger, to give boldly, and to imagine a future where more children can thrive. We know the best is yet to come.”
Support UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s with a gift today.