2018 Annual Report

November 18, 2019 – New research protocols with potential to change the future of pediatric care. New outpatient centers that expand the Nicklaus brand and reach in South Florida. A new health plan to support access for underserved children. And new programs and initiatives that promise better tomorrows for the region’s children. These exciting 2018 developments were part of another great year of pediatric care leadership and excellence for Nicklaus Children’s Health System. Click to read the 2018 report to the community.

ENT Surgeon Participates in Mission Trip to Peru

July 01, 2019 – Pediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon Dr. Brian Ho recently participated in a mission trip to Cusco, Peru. The trip was organized by Support Our Smiles, a nonprofit comprised of medical professionals who volunteer their time to deliver comprehensive ENT care to underserved children around the world. Dr. Ho, in collaboration with colleagues from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, evaluated more than 100 children, performed more than 20 surgeries, visited a school for hearing-impaired children and conducted approximately 50 hearing tests. Dr. Ho looks forward to returning to Cusco for another mission trip this September.

National Cancer Survivor's Day 2019

June 03, 2019 – Patients from the Nicklaus Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center reunited with their doctors and nurses for a day of family fun to celebrate life on National Cancer Survivors Day.

Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot in Nearly 400 patients, a Single Center Experience: 1995-2019

May 22, 2019 – The Heart Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital remains dedicated to providing the very best and safest experience for patients undergoing congenital heart surgery. This report will review the program’s 24-year surgical experience in repairing children with a diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).

Friends Through the Fight: 2 South Florida girls fighting same form of rare bone cancer become friends

May 20, 2019 – Two South Florida girls were diagnosed with the same rare form of bone cancer. They didn’t know each other when they started treatment but became friends through the fight. 7’s Alex de Armas shares their story.

DNA Day Gone to the Dogs at Nicklaus Children’s

May 14, 2019 – Pet therapy dogs at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital helped teach children about genetic diversity during the hospital’s DNA Day Gone to the Dogs event on April 25. A Havanese and a Burmese Mountain dog were among the four-legged educators. The hospital’s Personalized Medicine Initiative (PMI) team sponsored the activity to support learning in a fun way.

South Florida baby born with rare skin disorder

May 07, 2019 – When Carolina Fenner went into labor in March, she was anticipating the joy of welcoming her baby girl, already named Luna, into the world. But moments after the birth, her excitement was tempered by confusion, a large birthmark was covering the majority of little Luna's face.

Repair of Truncus Arteriosus, a Single Center Experience: 1995-2019

April 30, 2019 – The Heart Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital remains dedicated to providing the very best and safest experience for patients undergoing congenital heart surgery. This report will review the program’s 24-year surgical experience in repairing children with a diagnosis of truncus arteriosus.

2017 Annual Report

April 15, 2019 – 2017 was another remarkable year for Nicklaus Children's Health System. We forged new national collaborations to expand service offerings and innovation. We weathered an intense storm season, providing relief for families requiring medical care during and in the aftermath of major hurricanes. And we unified our organization under a new health system name, while continuing to expand our footprint in the region through our growing ambulatory network. Click to read the full 2017 report to the community.

Colorectal Center goes on mission trip to Peru

April 11, 2019 – Juan Calisto, MD, and Raquel Pasarón, APRN, from the Nicklaus Children’s Colorectal Center care team recently participated in a mission trip to Peru to deliver collaborative care to 19 children affected by complex colorectal conditions, as well as provide education and onsite training of local pediatric surgeons. Nicklaus Children’s was one of only four organizations invited to participate in the program, which was sponsored by Red De Corazones and the Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño in Lima, Peru.

The Arterial Switch Operation: A Single Surgeon, Single Center Experience: 2001-2019

April 10, 2019 – The Heart Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital remains dedicated to providing the very best and safest experience for patients undergoing congenital heart surgery. Today we report 18 years of outcomes for patients undergoing the arterial switch operation for complete transposition of the great arteries who were operated by Dr. Redmond Burke.

Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute Reports 100 Percent Survival Rate for 2018

April 03, 2019 – The Heart Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has reported that all 270 children who underwent congenital heart surgery at Nicklaus Children’s in 2018 survived. Program directors are elated to report that as of this posting, more than 380 consecutive patients have undergone cardiac surgical procedures at the hospital without a single death.

Children With Specialized Needs Spend Day On Miami Beach

March 26, 2019 – Ventilator-dependent children and their families enjoyed a stress-free day at Miami Beach on Monday. They got buried in the sand, soaked up the sun and even got in the water. This is the day where they make the impossible, possible or at least the very difficult, easy. It’s all part of VACC Camp or Ventilated Assisted Children’s Center, a week-long stay in the area for children from around the country with special needs, specifically, those that require ventilators or mechanical assistance to breath.

Patients at Nicklaus Children's Hospital celebrate Shabbat

March 22, 2019 – Patients at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital celebrated Shabbat with their families and connect to their Jewish heritage during the Purim holiday. 

Young cancer survivors gather for a night of games

February 27, 2019 –

More than two dozen pediatric cancer survivors joined us for a night of fun and games at our Adolescent and Young Adult game event held on February 22. Thank you to all who joined us for this inagural event!

To learn more and receive information about upcoming events email cancerfree@nicklaushealth.org.

Cardiac surgery patients reunite for celebration

February 20, 2019 – The annual Heart Institute Patient and Family Reunion gives patients and caregivers the chance to reunite outside the clinical setting. A big thank you to all of our heart warriors for attending each year!

Unveiling of Healing Garden and Esrick Dream Foundation CICU

February 20, 2019 – Nicklaus Children's Hospital had the pleasure of welcoming First Lady Melania Trump to celebrate the unveiling of the Morton and Linda Bouchard Healing Garden and the Esrick Dream Foundation Cardiac Intensive Care Floor.

Be Part of the Safety Team for your Child

February 15, 2019 – Nicklaus Children's joins hospitals across the nation in highlighting Patient Safety Awareness Week. Be a part of the safety team for your child. Parents are the most critical part of a child's caregiving team.

Could Your Teen Athlete Have a Deadly Heart Condition?

February 07, 2019 – Every three days, sudden cardiac death (SCD) takes the life of a young U.S. athlete, such as a girl playing soccer, a boy at basketball practice or a high school football player. An EKG screening is a simple heart test that takes only a few minutes, and can mean the difference between life and death.

Experts at Nicklaus Children's Hospital help dancers get safely back on their feet

February 04, 2019 – Dancing is a beautiful form of expression but it can be physically taxing on the body, especially for children and adolescents. The Sports Health Center at Nicklaus Children's helped Amber recover from her injury and return to dancing. In fact, Amber had the opportunity to dance in the Latin Grammy Awards last fall. 

South Florida surgeon helps children with airway disorders breathe easy

February 01, 2019 – According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 15 million babies are born prematurely every year. Among the many complications these little ones face are airway disorders. Thanks to airway reconstruction performed by Dr. Brian Ho, little Elijah is able to breathe on his own without the support of a medical device.

Does Your Baby Have an Undetected Heart Disorder?

January 29, 2019 – Eight of every 1,000 babies will be born with a heart disorder or defect. These conditions cannot be identified during a typical newborn screening. Parents need to be aware about the early signs, screenings and treatment options for babies born with congenital heart conditions.

Planning Underway for Hospital Site

December 19, 2018 –

Nicklaus Children’s Health System has acquired the facility formerly known as The Miami Medical Center. The 69-bed facility, located at 5959 NW 7th St, Miami, FL 33126, is currently closed while planning is underway for the site’s future use. The health system purchased the hospital from the former investor group in 2018 and is currently evaluating strategic opportunities to utilize the facility to enhance services for patients and the community we serve. A new name for the facility is also being determined.

Groundbreaking Held for De George's New 5-Story Patient Tower with Level ll Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

November 27, 2018 – Campaign has surpassed its halfway mark and the groundbreaking ceremony for the state-of-the-art, five-story patient tower that will proudly stand as the new main entrance to Jupiter Medical Center was held on Nov. 28.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Selects Dicom Systems, WinguMD for Enterprise Mobile Clinical Collaboration Platform

November 23, 2018 – In order to better integrate clinical communications over mobile, Nicklaus Children's sought to implement a secure, centralized platform to capture and share clinical photos inside their EHR. WinguMD provided sharing and indexing of serial clinical photos across care teams as well as comparison with pathology, wound care and other imaging. Unifier by Dicom Systems served as the integration engine for workflow and interoperability.

Dr. Gereige receives National Oral Health Service Award

November 06, 2018 – Congratulations to Rani Gereige, MD, MPH, FAAP who received the AAP Section on Oral Health National Oral Health Service Award for working to advance children's oral health through education, medical/dental collaboration, and advocacy.

Fetal Care Center Special Delivery Unit Expected to Open in Summer of 2019

November 02, 2018 – We are pleased to announce the Fetal Care Center’s special delivery unit is expected to open in the summer of 2019. This special delivery unit will offer a smooth transfer of care and access to our network of pediatric subspecialists and our three pediatric intensive care units.

Dr. John Ragheb Contributes to Development of New CDC Guidelines for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

November 02, 2018 – Dr. John Ragheb, Director of the Division of Neurosurgery at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, is among a group of renowned physicians who developed the first evidence-based guideline in the U.S. on mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and concussions among children, published by the CDC in September. 

445 students receive free EKG screenings

October 31, 2018 – The Heart Program at Nicklaus Children’s, in conjunction with the Breanna Vergara Foundation, hosted an EKG screening at St. Brendan Catholic Elementary School as part of the ongoing effort to detect congenital conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac death in children.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Resource Center adds to diversity of offerings on Fifth Avenue South in Naples

October 29, 2018 – The iconic Fifth Avenue South recently took another step in its evolution from primarily a shopping and dining destination into a diverse business hub with the opening of The Nicklaus Children’s Resource Center, which will showcase services, programs, technology and innovations available at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.