Nicklaus Children’s Hospital officials today announced one of the largest single donations in the hospital’s 72-year history. The $25 million gift from Citadel founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin will support the new five-story, 127,000-square-foot surgical tower opening in 2024. In recognition of this historic gift, it will be named the Kenneth C. Griffin Surgical Tower.

Mr. Griffin’s donation will also help fund Nicklaus Children’s four major institutes advancing pediatric care related to the brain, cancer and blood disorders, the heart, and orthopedics.

“This transformational gift will change the future of pediatric care for generations to come and ensure that doctors, nurses, and specialists have the latest technological advances at their fingertips to treat the children we serve,” said Matthew A. Love, president and CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System, the hospital’s parent organization. “We are enormously grateful to Mr. Griffin for this generous donation, which will strengthen our position as the pediatric healthcare leader in the state of Florida.”

The new surgical facility, featuring robotics, virtual and augmented reality, and intraoperative monitoring, as well as expansive surgical suites and improved pre- and post-surgical care spaces, will allow the hospital to provide world-class care in a high-tech, family-friendly environment for decades to come.

“Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is a world leader in healthcare,” said Ken Griffin. “We are so blessed to have such a talented team dedicated to providing the best care to every child. I am honored to support this mission.”

“It warms our hearts when others share our passion for helping children,” said Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, co-founders of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. “Thanks to Ken’s generous gift, any child who needs surgery at Nicklaus Children’s will be able to receive the exceptional care they deserve.”  

Uniquely designed for the most complex medical cases, Nicklaus Children’s serves a diverse population of nearly half a million pediatric patients a year, including 100,000 who need emergency attention and many who require life-saving treatment and surgery. With nearly 70% of patients insured by Medicaid, Nicklaus Children’s relies on philanthropic support to provide every child with the best treatment available.

In partnership with the hospital’s foundation, Nicklaus Children’s is embarking on the next phase of its story with a campaign to support the tower and the development of its institutes.

Mr. Griffin’s gift is helping to propel those projects and will make an everlasting impact on pediatric care for children in Florida and beyond.

To learn more about supporting Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, please visit https://give.nicklauschildrens.org.