Community Corner

8-Year-Old Cancer Patient on Mission to Help Others

Rosie Colucci founded Rosie's Toybox to collect toys to donate to hospitalized children. Rosie, who has cancer, volunteers with several other charities as well.

This article is by Mary Compton

Eight-year-old Rosie Colucci of Palatine has been through 16 surgeries, three years of chemotherapy and has had more doctors than most of us have in a lifetime. Yet she is always smiling and thinking of others.

“They call her Rockstar Rosie,” said her mother, JoAnne Colucci.

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Rosie founded Rosie’s Toybox, which donates toys to children at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, She also donates many hours each month raising funds for other charities. Right now, Rosie’s hair is growing back after getting her head shaved to raise money for St. Baldrick’s, which raises money for childhood cancer research.  

Her tumor is inoperable and she has lost a lot of friends, such as Stephanie, Benny, Jeremy, Will and Miles. But she doesn’t dwell on those facts.

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“We always try and live in the moment,” JoAnne said. “Rosie is all about laughter and making a difference in other people’s lives. … As much as we inspire other people, other people inspire us.”

“When Rosie would go to the hospital for treatments, she would always make two lunches, one for her and one for a homeless man that lived under an underpass on the way to the hospital,” her mom added. “When she is at the hospital she takes time to talk to people. Rosie always looks people in the eyes. She is very aware of the hurt within people because of what she has been through.”   

Rosie encourages others to give a hug, lend a hand or say a prayer.  

“If you take the time to listen, you can change that person’s life,” Rosie said.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve taken on?

To raise as much money as I can in a couple of days for charity. Going through IV chemo was hard too.  

What inspired you to take this challenge?

My hospital stays were sometimes boring. I noticed the other kids needed things to do. One visit, I got so many toys, I said to my mom, ‘I can’t keep all these.’ I wanted to give back to the other kids. That’s how Rosie’s Toybox started. Every penny counts. One time a homeless man reached in his pocket and said, ‘27 cents, this is all I have, but I want to give it to you!’ It touched us. He gave everything he had.

Did you succeed?

I have to. I said I wanted to give back and I did. We have been doing Rosie’s Toybox for five years. I want to continue this forever.

I always want to make a difference in somebody’s life.  Everything we do reaches someone. I dress up as a blood drop so people will donate blood. If someone says they can’t do it, I tell people to suck it up and face your fears. I use a needle everyday!

Rosie will take part in her favorite charity, the Chicago Dance Marathon, on March 8, 2014. The goal is to break the record of 23 dancers on Rosie’s team. To sign up go to http://foundation.luriechildrens.org/goto/rosiesrockstars. It will be held at the Renaissance Chicago. If you would like to donate in other ways, you can connect with Rosie on her Facebook page.



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