In a heartfelt ribbon-cutting ceremony at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital today, leaders from Nicklaus Children’s Health System gathered alongside the family of George and Jessica Mobassaleh to honor the memory of their lost loved one and help inspire medical advances that may prevent sudden cardiac death in other youth.
The new Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Mobassaleh Neurology Unit Lobby, located in the Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion of South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, is dedicated to 23-year-old Fouad Mobassaleh who suffered a sudden cardiac death as a result of Wolf-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. George and Jessica Mobassaleh, a father-daughter duo, made a generous gift to dedicate the lobby naming with a reminder that everything they do is in Fouad’s name, in hopes of preventing sudden cardiac death in other children and young adults.
“We are grateful for the generous gift from the Mobassaleh family and for their determination in honoring Fouad’s memory,” said Perry Ann Reed, President of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “As champions for children, we stand beside them in the fight to prevent sudden cardiac death in other children.”
Since losing Fouad, the Mobassaleh family has been determined to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family. Fouad is the only person in the world to ever have a documented episode of WPW, which has been used widely in the medical field to study the syndrome. In this way, Fouad’s story can help inspire and influence the future of pediatric healthcare.
The Mobassaleh Family has sponsored three Sudden Cardiac Death Symposiums and will be featured at the World Congress hosted in Washington, DC – the first subspecialty track dedicated to sudden cardiac arrest in the young. These conferences are the first of their kind to educate healthcare professionals on the issue.
In addition to their commitment towards research, George and Jessica have invested countless hours of philanthropic fundraising through Elegant Beauty Supplies Supercenters for the sole benefit of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Heart Program. The Mobassaleh family is part of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation Diamond Society for their cumulative support the hospital and commitment to children. Jessica is also a member of the Nicklaus Children's Young Ambassadors, a group of young professionals from the ages of 22 to 45 who network and enact change for the betterment of children.
“Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is profoundly grateful for the Mobassaleh Family’s dedication, through their business and their own philanthropic support, to help ensure the health and well-being of the children in our community,” said Michelle Boggs, President of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation. “We stand behind them in their mission to prevent this type of tragedy from happening to another family.”
The naming of the neurology unit lobby at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital serves as a token of appreciation to George and Jessica Mobassaleh for their commitment towards the patients and families we serve.