This year’s signature fundraising event was hosted by radio co-hosts, Enrique Santos and Dayanara Torres and featured powerful patient stories of resilience, innovation and hope

MIAMI, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Nicklaus Children’s Hospital welcomed community leaders, philanthropists, athletes and entertainment personalities to its 19th Annual Diamond Ball on Saturday, October 10. The children’s hospital’s signature fundraising gala raised over $4 million to support the expansion of advanced specialized pediatric care to children and families across Florida and beyond.

“There is no purpose more powerful than helping children live healthier, happier lives,” said Matthew A. Love, president and CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “It is an honor to come together alongside elected officials, community leaders and passionate philanthropists to support such a huge part of our ability to reach children in need of life-saving care.”

During the evening, guests heard from Nicklaus Children’s patients with their own unique stories, like Tristan, a high school athlete who overcame osteosarcoma and is back on the Volleyball court, Greyson, a young boy who received the first pediatric partial heart transplant in Florida, Ka’lee, who is walking again after gene therapy significantly slowed down the progression of his Muscular Dystrophy and A’mya, who underwent surgery to correct the curvature in her legs after being diagnosed with Blount’s Disease.

Among the evening’s notable attendees were Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Rafael A. Villalobos, Spanish model and author Agueda Lopez, former NFL player and Super Bowl champion Lawrence Guy, former Miami Heat player Jamal Mashburn, and America’s Got Talent semifinalist and former Nicklaus Children’s patient Luke Taleno.

“We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary generosity and overwhelming support shown to Nicklaus Children’s this year,” said Allison W. Baker, President of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation. “The funds raised this evening provide answers sooner, a specialist closer to home and a treatment that offers new hope to the children we serve.”

Every year, Diamond Ball unites hundreds to fundraise in support of Nicklaus Children’s patients and families. Sponsors of the 19^th Annual Diamond Ball include Griffin Catalyst, Citadel, Citadel Securities, Cox Media Group, Ensemble, Braman Enterprises Inc. (Braman Miami), City National Bank of Florida, Greenberg Traurig, Intermedia Touch, JW Marriott Marquis Miami, Optum Insight, Pediatrix Medical Group, Warner Bros Discovery – US Hispanic, ab+a advertising, Baptist Health, CVS/aetna, FIU Foundation and the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Kidz Medical, Perry Ellis International, Polsinelli, Brynne McNulty Rojas & Julio Rojas, Stearns Weaver Miller.

For more information on supporting Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, visit give.nicklauschildrens.org 

About Nicklaus Children’s Health System Where Your Child Matters Most ™
For more than 75 years, Nicklaus Children’s Health System has stood as a beacon of hope for children and families across the state of Florida and beyond. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is South Florida’s #1 nonprofit, freestanding specialty licensed hospital exclusively for children. Nicklaus Children’s provides pediatric care across a growing network of hospital and community-based partnerships, including care within NCH North Hospital in Naples, Jupiter Medical Center, select Baptist Health Hospital pediatric emergency units, and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Fort Lauderdale and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Coral Springs each located on the campuses of Broward Health. The hospitals and their network of more than 35 outpatient care locations offer lifesaving care in Miami-Dade, Broward, Martin and Palm Beach counties. Outpatient locations include an array of urgent care, pediatric primary care and subspecialty care centers and are either hospital-based or outpatient locations under Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists, LLC (NCPS). Providing a pipeline of future physicians and groundbreaking research, Nicklaus Children’s is an academic and clinical affiliate of the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. Nicklaus Children’s is home to centers of excellence including the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, the Nicklaus Children’s Orthopedic, Sports Medicine and Spine Institute, Nicklaus Children’s Neuroscience Institute and Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute. The 474-bed system is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, with many programs routinely ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. Nicklaus Children’s also includes a nonprofit physician practice subsidiary with more than 40 pediatric specialties and an ambulatory surgery center. For more information, visit nicklauschildrens.org.

Contact:
Alejandra Sanchez, PR Specialist
Nicklaus Children’s Health System
Alejandra.sanchez@nicklaushealth.org

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SOURCE Nicklaus Children’s Hospital