Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation’s DIAMOND BALL
Philanthropists gathered at the Loews Miami Beach to raise a record $3 million for pediatric healthcare at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Hundreds of South Florida philanthropists gathered at the Loews Miami Beach and raised a record $3 million to support pediatric healthcare at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. The funds are to be dedicated to the construction of a five-story, 116,000-square-foot pediatric surgical tower to rise above the hospital’s Emergency Department. The tower will include state-of-the-art operating suites and welcoming spaces for patient families, supporting surgical care to benefit the next generation.
During the Havana Nights-themed Diamond Ball gala, presented by Ensemble Health Partners, attendees made record donations during the live auction and “Bid from the Heart,” which featured the heart-warming story of Nicklaus Children’s patient Graceston. The event also honored Dr. Marcelo Laufer, infectious diseases specialist and the recipient of the hospital’s Excellence in Pediatric Medicine award, as well as hospital supporters Vivian and Juan Carlos (JC) Mas, who were inducted into the Ambassador David M. Walters International Pediatric Hall of Fame and honored for their decades of service and support of Nicklaus Children’s.
This year’s Diamond Ball was hosted by ABC News correspondent and Emmy Award-winning journalist, John Quinones, alongside benefit auctioneers Jason Alpert and Vallye Adams. After the program, guests enjoyed a special performance of ‘Patria y Vida’ by two-time Grammy award winner and Latin music artist Yotuel and his wife Beatriz Luengo, before hitting the dance floor to party with Miami’s legendary DJ Laz from iHeartMedia radio station 93.9 MIA.
Community Supporters Include:
Ensemble Health Partners, CNN en Español, Maserati of Fort Lauderdale, Stearns Weaver Miller, American Airlines, Baptist Health, CITI, City National Bank of Florida, MasTec, Inc., Robins & Morton, AVANCE, Calamos Investments, CVS Pharmacy y Más and Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Ernst & Young LLP, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC., Greenberg Traurig, Hometown Foundation, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Kidz Medical Services, Mario Murgado & Murgado Automotive Group, Perry Ellis International, PNC Bank, Premia Global Advisors, West Coast University, Badia Spices, BDO, Dr. & Mrs. Phillip T. George and Mr. and Mrs. Phillip T. George, Jr. and Family, Falk, Waas, Hernandez, Solomon, Mendlestein & Davis, P.A. Florida Power & Light Company, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Gibson Dunn, Health Foundation of South Florida, Jupiter Medical Center, Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, First Horizon Foundation, Polen Capital, Polsinelli PC, Prudential, Wells Fargo, Miami Herald, Sun Sentinel Media Group and WLRN Public Media.
About Nicklaus Children’s Hospital:
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with nearly 800 attending physicians and more than 390 pediatric subspecialists. The 309-bed hospital, known as Miami Children’s Hospital from 1983 through 2014, is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with many specialty programs routinely ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession’s most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org.
