Nicklaus Children's Hospital is proud to have partnered with Inter Miami CF in support of the MLS's Kick Childhood Cancer initiative during last night's Inter Miami CF vs Columbus Crew match. The soccer match was temporarily suspended following the first half due to lightning in the area. However, that didn’t stop 16-year-old Nicklaus Children's patient, Alexandra Herrera, and the Lourdes Singers from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, from putting on a heartfelt performance of our national anthem minutes before kick-off.
The MLS's Kick Childhood Cancer campaign strives to raise awareness of pediatric cancers and fundraise for childhood cancer research during the month of September, which marks Pediatric Cancer Awareness month. Alexandra is a South Florida native who is currently battling a recurrence of rhabdomyosarcoma and receiving treatment at Nicklaus Children's Hospital.
“Performing with my choir from school in front of so many people was an amazing experience,” said Alexandra. “I was a bit nervous at first since I had never done something to this extent before with so many people watching, but once we were out there together, it was very exciting.”
Before the match, Alexandra and her family received a VIP tour of the Inter Miami CF facility, experiencing what it's like behind the scenes on match day. As a soccer family, they were thrilled to meet some of their favorite players as they made their way onto the pitch to warm up. To top it off, Alexandra experienced the match from the comfort of a VIP suite, courtesy of Inter Miami CF ownership.
“As Inter Miami supporters ourselves and a family that comes from soccer, this has been an incredible experience for us,” said Alejandro and Andria Herrera, Alexandra's parents. “It's truly wonderful to see two South Florida organizations that are near and dear to us, championing for a population of children who need it most,” they added.
Nicklaus Children's is proud to partner with South Florida organizations who are making a difference in the health of the children in our community and beyond.
About Nicklaus Children's Hospital
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children's Hospital is South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with approximately 800 attending physicians, including more than 500 pediatric subspecialists. The 309-bed hospital, known as Miami Children's Hospital from 1983 through 2014, 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. In the 2022-2023 U.S. News ranking, the hospital tied with two other hospitals as the number one children's hospital in Florida. 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