John Legend visits Cincinnati Children’s ahead of fundraising performance

Grammy-winning musician John Legend visited patients at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center on Friday before performing a private benefit concert at Music Hall to support scientific research.

Legend’s visit was part of the hospital’s annual Kaleidoscope fundraiser. 

While on the hospital’s Avondale campus, Legend attended a dedication ceremony for the newly named John Legend and Chrissy Teigen Family Lounge in the hospital’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit. The lounge, named in recognition of a donation from Legend, provides a space for families to rest and connect while their children receive care.

“The lounge offers families a place to step away, recharge and support one another,” the hospital said in a statement. “With the average NICU stay lasting six months, this communal area plays a vital role in bringing families together during difficult times.”

A personal connection to Cincinnati Children’s mission

Legend and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, have been vocal about their experiences with fertility struggles and pregnancy loss. After the birth of their children Luna, 8, and Miles, 6, the couple lost their son Jack at 20 weeks. Legend said that experience, along with time spent in hospitals, inspired their support for Cincinnati Children’s.

“It was Chrissy’s instinct to share our news with that community and the world,” Legend said. 

“She wanted to break the stigma of shame that so many feel when they suffer pregnancy loss or have fertility struggles,” he continued. “So many families need IVF to build their family, and many lose pregnancies. Sharing our stories gave us an opportunity to heal together.”

As a nonprofit health system, Cincinnati Children’s relies on events like Kaleidoscope to fund its research efforts. This year’s event, presented by Fort Washington Investment Advisors and Western & Southern Financial Group, will help advance pediatric scientific discovery. 

While funding from the National Institutes of Health supports much of this work, philanthropic donations help bridge gaps and accelerate new treatments and cures.

A native of Springfield, Ohio, Legend said his family’s ties to region made supporting the Cincinnati Children’s particularly meaningful.

Cincinnati Children’s didn’t release financial details.

“I still have a lot of family in Springfield and Cincinnati,” Legend said. “So, it’s extremely meaningful to me to be able to support this hospital that shows so much compassion to families in this area and helps give every child a chance to grow up healthy and happy.”