This December, Ryan and Valeria Esko and their foundation, Juntos Regalando Sonrisas/Together Giving Smiles hosted a special holiday party for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital hematology and oncology patients and their families outside the Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion.
The children got to visit with Santa Claus and his elves, take pictures with Zeus the Pet Therapy Dog and his canine friends, meet Mickey Mouse and other costumed characters, and enjoy delicious treats and fun entertainment.
For more than five years, the Esko family and Juntos Regalando Sonrisas have hosted this meaningful event, allowing patients and their families a few hours of respite from their illnesses and treatment. Juntos Regalando Sonrisas’ mission is to provide access to basic needs, play and wishes for children faced with economic and/or health challenges in Latin America and South Florida, to enrich their lives with hope, spirit and happiness. They aim to host events and initiatives that will give children “smiles” by allowing “a kid to be a kid.”
About Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Where Children Matter Most (2024)
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is South
Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with approximately
850 attending physicians, including more than 500 pediatric subspecialists. The 307-bed
hospital 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 since 2003 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.