MIAMI (WSVN) - A South Florida medical center is getting a generous gift in its mission to fight against cancer.
A philanthropist, who has made South Florida his new home, made a transformational gift of $50 million that could make South Florida the epicenter of cancer treatment in the nation.
“Thank you for your commitment in winning the war against cancer,” said philanthropist Kenneth C. Griffin.
Doctors, scientists, and others working in the healthcare industry gathered on Tuesday at the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center to say thank you to Griffin whose donation will change millions of lives.
“This man has made such an incredible mark on this community,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
Griffin’s gift to the University of Miami will go towards enhancing research efforts to find the cure against cancer.
To support this institution was one of the easiest decisions that I’ve made in recent history,” said Griffin.
Levine Cava described the impact of the gift.
“It will double Sylvester’s research footprint as South Florida’s only national cancer institute designated research center. It will accelerate our efforts to care for patients with new therapies, clinical trials, that will likely be offered only here at Sylvester,” said Levine Cava.
The new facility includes a state-of-the art equipment, that is being constructed at UM’s medical campus, where innovative research will be taking place.
The goal of the research is to develop new therapies and expand ongoing clinical trials.
“With this team, we are leading the way to being one day closer to achieving our shared gold of ending the threat of cancer in our lifetime,” said Griffin.
The efforts will bring much needed hope to more than 12,000 South Florida families that are currently battling this devastating disease.
“The people in this room represent, in my view, the generation that will end this disease in america and in the world,” said Griffin.
“So within these walls, there will be breakthroughs foraged, and lives will be saved and futures will be re-written,” said Levine Cava.
The state-of-the-art facility is set to open its doors in 2025.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.