Watertown dance show 'Colors of Cancer' to raise money for local patients

Sep. 18—WATERTOWN — A foundation is hoping to raise some money to help cover costs for locals who can't afford to travel to their cancer treatment.

The Love Michaela Foundation was established in 2019 after Michaela Dietterich, a Watertown native, died of leukemia.

On Friday, in a collaboration with Rhonda's FooteWorks, a Watertown dance studio, the foundation will be holding a Colors of Cancer show in the Watertown High School auditorium at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30. Admission to the family-friendly event is free, but donations at the door are requested and there will also be raffles at the event.

All of the proceeds will go to the Love Michaela Foundation.

Cyd Converse, co-founder of the Love Michaela Foundation, said that Dietterich was her sister's best friend.

"She really became my other sister," she said. "She was my best friend, she was my little sister, she was my little sister's person."

Converse was also one of Dietterich's primary medical advocates and traveled with her to many appointments.

She said she is hoping for a couple of hundred people to show up.

"We usually get a pretty great turnout," she said.

Those who qualify for the funds through the foundation must live in Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Lewis or Oswego County; have confirmed cancer or blood disorder diagnoses; and they must travel to get treatment.

"We learned through Michaela's cancer journey that while all cancer is terrible and a huge strain on family, that is especially true when you have to travel out of the area for your treatment," Converse said.

She called Samaritan Medical Center's Walker Center for Cancer Care a "game-changer," but said for some treatments, patients still have to go elsewhere.

In total, the Love Michaela Foundation has raised more than $25,000 for local families.

Rhonda M. Foote, owner of Rhonda's FooteWorks, said that being able to partner with the foundation is personal, as her mother had cancer. The shows also mean a lot for the 50 kids.

"I tell the kids that very few people are going to become professional dancers, but it is my hope that by teaching them about dancing and using their art to help others that they're going to become professional people that learn to grow up and help people in their community and serve the bigger purpose," she said. "I'm proud of them."

Foote said the kids learned the dances at the end of August and said they are "excited, but nervous." There is going to be an array of different dances throughout the show.

Kids in the show range in age from 5 to 17. The performance will last about an hour.