Latest News from the Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Awarded on Newsweek's List of the World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2027 for Pediatrics

September 21, 2026 – Nicklaus Children's Hospital has been awarded on Newsweek's list of the World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2027 for pediatrics. This prestigious award is presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., the leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The award list was announced on September 17th, 2027, and can be viewed on Newsweek's website.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Breaks Ground on Future Home for The Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute

September 17, 2026 – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has broken ground on the next chapter of the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, a transformative expansion that will create a more integrated, accessible and patient-centered environment for children receiving cancer and blood disorder care. Nicklaus Children's Health System leadership, donors, patients and the hospital's foundation joined together to mark the official start of construction.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital is No. 1 Pediatric Hospital* in Florida in U.S. News & World Report 2026-2027 Rankings

September 15, 2026 – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is the No. 1 pediatric hospital* in Florida in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-27 “Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings, continuing its longstanding recognition for excellence in pediatric care.  Nicklaus Children’s also has been recognized among the nation’s Top 50 children’s hospitals for the 18th consecutive year. Eight specialty programs, including all four key institutes, were recognized among the nation’s best, giving the hospital more nationally ranked pediatric programs than any other hospital in South Florida. 

Father-to-daughter bone marrow transplant gives daughter a second chance at life

September 14, 2026 –

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital helped save 2-year-old Victoria, who had a very rare genetic illness and a dangerous immune system condition, by giving her a bone marrow transplant using cells donated by her father. The treatment cured her serious immune condition, and after a year of care, Victoria returned home in July 2026 and is expected to live a happy, healthy life.

Golden Ribbons, Superheroes and Sal's Legacy: Annual Gold Ribbon Parade Takes Over South Florida

September 05, 2026 – Annual tradition brings together families, first responders and community heroes to celebrate the life of a beloved patient and support children fighting cancer.
 

Nicklaus Children's Hospital's Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute Awarded FACT Accreditation

September 16, 2024 – Nicklaus Children's Hospital has once again received internationally recognized accreditation by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). FACT is an accrediting body for hospitals and medical institutions offering stem cell transplants and indicates the accredited institution has met the most rigorous standards in every aspect of stem cell therapy.

Groundbreaking Cancer Treatment Collaboration Between Nicklaus Children's Hospital, FIU Saves Lives

April 11, 2024 – When eight-year-old Logan learned his cancer had returned it was not the news he or his family had hoped to hear. Thanks to a clinical trial collaboration between the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Florida International University (FIU), Logan was given a new lease on life.

Nicklaus Children's Announces $15 Million Gift from South Florida Philanthropists Helen and Jacob Shaham

April 05, 2024 – Nicklaus Children's Hospital today announced a $15 million gift from South Florida philanthropists Helen and Jacob Shaham to further elevate world-class pediatric cancer care and research through the hospital’s cancer and blood disorders institute. In recognition of the gift, the program now proudly bears the name, the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital to Study the Use of Low-Frequency Focused Ultrasound Therapy to Treat Children with Aggressive Brain Tumors

November 20, 2023 – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is to become only the third site in North America involved in a Phase I clinical trial studying the role of a new technology called low-frequency focused ultrasound (LoFU) in the care of children with a lethal type of brain tumor that forms within the brainstem.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Announces Historic Gift from Citadel Founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin

January 31, 2023 – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital received a $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. The donation will enhance pediatric care for children in Florida and beyond for generations to come.

Nicklaus Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute Receives Renewed Accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer

July 21, 2022 – Nicklaus Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute has received a full three-year accreditation from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, renewing accreditation status held consecutively by the hospital since 2006. Nicklaus Children’s is the only pediatric hospital in Florida to hold this accreditation.

Dr. Enrique A. Escalon Retires After 50 Years of Leadership in Caring for Children With Cancer at Nicklaus Children’s

April 06, 2022 – After more than 50 years of providing leading-edge care for children with cancer in South Florida and beyond, Dr. Enrique A. Escalon, esteemed pediatric hematologist-oncologist, has announced his retirement.

New Leading-Edge Treatment for Leukemia Now Offered at Nicklaus Children's Hospital

June 10, 2021 – Nicklaus Children's Hospital is one of the only hospitals in Florida, and the first pediatric hospital in South Florida, to offer the latest immune cell treatment for children and adolescents with certain types of leukemia. The Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute at Nicklaus Children's Hospital is authorized to deliver the FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy to the pediatric population. 

Miami Dolphins Make $1 Million Commitment to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation

September 15, 2020 – The Miami Dolphins announced a $1 million commitment to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation to help combat systematic health issues and address disparities in the African American and minority community around diabetes, sickle cell disease (SCD) and COVID-19. The four-year relationship will provide jobs, access to services, programmatic benefits and research designed to improve mental and physical health.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Receives Jean Byers Award for Excellence in Cancer Registration

August 21, 2020 – The Nicklaus Children's Hospital Cancer and Blood Disorders Center has been recognized by the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS) with the Jean Byers Award for Excellence in Cancer Registration for 2019. The FCDS recognizes facilities that have met or exceeded the national quality standards for timeliness and completeness in cancer reporting.

Incredible Advances in Cancer Treatment Through Research

September 16, 2025 – In recognition of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, this issue of the Research Rundown is dedicated to the incredible advances in cancer treatment through research. The Nicklaus Children's Research Institute (NCRI) with the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute have more than 30 studies that are actively recruiting new subjects.

Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute at Nicklaus Children's Hospital Recognized for Excellence in Cancer Registration

August 28, 2025 – The Florida Department of Health and the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS) has awarded the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute at Nicklaus Children's Hospital the 2024 Jean Byers Memorial Award for Excellence in Cancer Registration. The FCDS recognizes facilities that have met or exceeded the national quality standards for timeliness and completeness in cancer reporting.

Aiming for Pinpoint Accuracy in Pediatric Oncological Care

December 23, 2024 – As medicine continues to progress toward personalized medicine, innovative targeted therapy methodologies show promise to improve outcomes for children experiencing cancer. Through a partnership with Florida International University (FIU), the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital offers a groundbreaking cancer treatment approach that wields the power to change cancer care forever.

Meet Dr. Utset-Ward: Enhancing Pediatric Orthopedic Oncology Care

November 04, 2024 – Dedicated to delivering cutting-edge cancer care to children, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is proud to welcome Thomas J. Utset-Ward, MD, MBA, to our Orthopedic, Sports Medicine and Spine Institute. Dr. Utset-Ward brings a wealth of experience as a pediatric orthopedic surgical oncologist, specializing in sarcomas, limb salvage and reconstruction, pediatric arthroplasty and general pediatric orthopedic surgery.

Elevating Pediatric Cancer Care With Life-Changing Research

March 12, 2024 – The Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute at Nicklaus Children's Hospital is committed to enrolling as many patients as possible in clinical trials, having a longstanding membership in the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), which offers clinical trials for common and uncommon pediatric cancers.