2021 Cover Child: Harleigh
Selected by ​the Holiday Card Project committee as the artist with the most public votes without a local business sponsorship.
Harleigh is a 17-year-old high school senior. She enjoys drawing and painting, and is also enrolled in a prestigious graphic design program. She underwent a Nuss procedure at Children's Hospital Colorado to correct pectus excavatum and after two years, was able to have her bar removed. Harleigh is passionate about all animals and is the proud owner of two Chihuahuas, Toby and Turbo. Harleigh hopes to pursue a career in art – she undoubtedly will achieve with great success!

Aaden

Aaden is now in second grade where his favorite subjects are reading, PE and technology. He likes Roblox and playing Minecraft. Of all the things he likes to do, he is most passionate about cooking. Aaden was a patient at Children’s this year in the dermatology department. He would like to be a scientist detective when he grows up.

Mikaela

Mikaela, 17, likes to draw, knit, write, read, and play with guinea pigs — including her pets Pirate, Peanut, and Maxwell, accompanied by a dog named Bruce. Following an Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis, Mikaela has undergone numerous treatments, most recently for residual large intestine inflammation. Mikaela’s favorite subjects include science, art, and writing; a current 12th-grade student, she practices Taekwon-Do and plans to become a paramedic.

Arielan

Arielan is in 11th grade and her favorite subject in school is math. She was diagnosed with leukemia in 2015, relapsed in 2018, and is currently in remission. Arielan loves drawing, painting, baking and traveling, but she is most passionate about art! When she grows up she would like to work in the computer science field.

Luisa

Luisa is a freshman, currently attending high school with the hospital program. Her favorite subjects are history and biology and she is most passionate about helping others. She has been treated at Children’s for a brain tumor since May. Luisa is not sure what she wants to be when she grows up, but she probably wants to do something in art. She likes swimming, drawing and playing with her very sweet Golden Retriever, Bailey. Luisa and Bailey can relate to each other because Bailey has a heart problem.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a 16-year-old sophomore in high school, where her favorite subjects include science and math. Interested in pursuing a career in medicine, Elizabeth is getting a head start by studying medical terminology at a local community college.

Elizabeth first came to Children's in July 2019, after suffering severe burns in a grease fire while traveling with family friends in Florida. With a passion for service work, she has been a patient ambassador for Children's Hospital Colorado. Wanting to find a way to give back during the pandemic, Elizabeth has hosted a craft show twice a month at the Seacrest Studios, where she plans and guides other patients through craft projects.

Elizabeth enjoys competitive cheerleading, baking and decorating cakes, and caring for her pets: dog Hugo, cats Daisy and Shadow, ducks, chickens, bunnies, and fish. Elizabeth is already changing lives by sharing her time and numerous talents with others!

Reid

Reid is a 15-year-old freshman in high school, and an enthusiastic supporter of the Holiday Card Project! Since first battling sepsis in 2020, Reid has been treated for lingering issues by the Children's orthopedics, rheumatology and dermatology departments.

An aspiring Air Force Academy cadet, Reid hopes to become an Air Force pilot and later a commercial pilot. As a member of Civil Air Patrol (the auxiliary of the US Air Force), Reid is already a student of military aerospace and basic military discipline. In addition to his passion for flight, Reid enjoys playing video games, drawing, writing, world geography and spending time with his two German Shepherds, Echo and Max. Recently, Reid has also developed an interest in archery and remains undefeated in his PE class!

We are lucky that Reid chooses to share his talents with Children's and can't wait to see what he does next!

Kai

Kai lives with his dad, Chris and stepmom, Lynsey; his mom is Erica. Kai has a 20 year old brother, Jalen, and 9 year old sister, Sera. He is a senior in high school. A few months ago Kai had sternum surgery at Children's. Kai has two dogs, Yogi (small dog) and Castro (Doberman). He enjoys video games, reading, philosophy, history and politics. He isn’t sure what he wants to be when he gets older.

Kaylea

Kaylea is a 12 ½ -year-old in the 7th grade whose favorite subjects are math and science. Kaylea has been coming to Children’s Hospital Colorado for 11 years as she has fought through her diagnoses of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Celiac Disease, and Childhood Fibromyalgia with bravery and courage. She has worked regularly with the Rheumatology and Pain Team. This year Kaylea celebrated as she graduated from the “Pain Team,” meaning, after 10 years the pain team helped Kaylea to feel better, and be more pain free than ever before in her life! This is an accomplishment she proudly shares to inspire hope and healing in other kids as one day she would like to work in the medical field.

​Her favorite hangout at Children's has been the Seacrest Studio, where she has been the voice and face for the hospital in holiday and fundraising videos. At home Kaylea loves training for volleyball season, learning about photography, and being a voice for childhood illnesses.  She is a wonderful and loving big sister and friend who enjoys sharing her talents so other kids can be inspired to reach farther, strive harder, and be accepting of childhood illnesses.

Ellory

Ellory was first diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia) in 2013. She has since had a couple of relapses and just recently was treated at Children’s with a bone marrow transplant. She is a sophomore studying with a K-12 online school program. One of her favorite interests is studying criminology and she hopes soon to start an American Sign Language program. Ellory loves the outdoors, fishing at their cabin, hiking and camping. She has two pets, her dog, Bear, and her cat named Nova. Ellory aspires to be a clinical psychologist in the future.

Kinley

Kinley is a 10-year-old aspiring YouTube model, lawyer, or doctor. She is an affectionate and adventurous girl with a very kind heart who can make others laugh at her quick-witted jokes. Kinley’s sensitive soul and caring demeanor allows her to make friends no matter what the situation. At home she hangs out with Oliver, her Shih Tzu/Maltese dog, and Quincy her guinea pig. Kinley loves animals! She has been a patient at Children’s as she dealt with the challenges of recurring strep throat, requiring her tonsils and adenoids to be removed. Kinley is so passionate about Children's that you may have even seen her on the hospital website or on a video for one of the many special occasions at the hospital. Kinley is in the 5th grade. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) are Kinley’s most favorite subjects in school, along with reading and writing. She has a very artistic and creative mind; therefore, making holiday cards for Children’s brings her extreme joy as a way to support the hospital. She is so passionate about supporting Children's hospitals, she even helped coordinate and support a small fundraiser for another children's hospital in western Michigan this past summer with “A Sip of Sunshine” lemonade stand. Kinley herself is a ray of sunshine!

Tessa

Tessa is a 16 year old high school Junior. Tessa is very passionate and deliberate when it comes to exercise, cross country training, and art. She runs for the cross country team and the track team. She works really hard to improve her times and enjoys her teammates and coaches. Her favorite subjects are 3D art and science. She loves learning and works hard to get good grades. In her free time Tessa likes to hike, mountain bike, learn new things and practice driving.

Tessa has been diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse and is also on the autism spectrum. She visits Children’s to keep an eye on her heart and participates in virtual social groups — she has progressed so much this year!

Tessa has so many good memories of playing with her brothers Porter and Myles in the back yard, and of playing elaborate imagination games together. They inspired her artwork, and this card is especially important because Myles passed away in last year in July. Tessa poured her heart and soul into drawing and painting this picture to express the love she has for her brothers.

Abby

Abby is a 17 year old senior who likes to ski, read, hike, write and draw. At the age of 7 she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and underwent 2-1/2 years of chemotherapy. She relapsed at the age of 12, underwent another 2 years of treatment and has been free of treatment therapy now for 3-1/2 years.

Abby is passionate about music, having played the piano for 11 years, as well as playing in her school’s jazz band and playing the flute in the symphonic band. She likes English courses (like ethnic literature and creative writing), physics, biology and music classes.

​She is interested in studying biomedical engineering in college on the pre-med track to being a physician, but still pondering which field of medicine will be her specialty. Also keeping her busy are the family’s 5 pets: two dogs, Maggie and Buster, two cats, Tabby and Dusty, and her pet rabbit, Clover. Abby and her sister always enjoy participating in the Holiday Card Project!

Henry

Henry is a 14-year-old 9th grader whose favorite subject is math. Following a pectus excavatum diagnosis, he had the Nuss bar procedure at Children's. Henry wants to be a theoretical physicist when he grows up; meanwhile, he enjoys Scouts, cross country running (after his remarkable recovery), choir, boys team charity, and speech & debate. Henry is passionate about reading and fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons. Doctors and nurses at Children's gave Henry full lungs to run and sing without restriction, aiding his recovery that let him return to being a normal kid in a few short weeks.