Our donors were the guests of honor at the annual Diamond Society Appreciation Dinner and Recognition Ceremony held at the Coral Gables Country Club. The private dinner brought together prominent community leaders and philanthropists as a way of thanking them for their unwavering support to the children and families who depend on Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Guests had the opportunity to hear from Anabella, a patient of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital who underwent open-heart surgery when she was 4 years old. Now 8, Anabella read a long list of activities she participates in, showing just how great she’s doing ever since the doctors at Nicklaus Children’s closed the hole she had in her heart. Her parents, Lourdes and Jerry expressed their gratitude to the hospital for saving their daughter’s life, and also spoke about how important it is to them to help raise awareness for the institution so that more families know that they don’t have to leave South Florida to receive world-class care when they need it. To see Anabella’s story visit: www.nicklauschildrens.org/anabella.
The program for the event also included a preview of what’s to come as Dr. Saima Aftab, the soon-to-be Chief of the Fetal Care Center and Chief of Neonatal/Perinatal Services at Nicklaus Children's Hospital shared with guests details about the Fetal Care Center which is in development. The center is expected to open at the end of 2018, and will provide specialized care to fetuses who are diagnosed with birth defects while in the mother’s womb.
Some of the supporters in attendance included Master of Ceremonies and former South Florida news anchor Beatriz Canals; Chair of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Board of Directors, Alex Soto; and Chair of the Miami Children’s Health Foundation Board of Directors, Ravneet Chowdhury, as well as Tim Birkenstock, interim president and CEO of Miami Children’s Health Foundation, among others. The Diamond Society honors individuals who have provided major philanthropic support for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, beginning with the Champagne Diamond for a cumulative contribution of $25,000 all the way to the rarest hue of all, the Red Diamond, for those who reach a level of $10 million or more.
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.