Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida

🎉 Double the bell ringings, double the celebration! 🎉 Blake Janik is CANCER FREE! At just 7 years old, Blake was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). For the past two and a half years, our dedicated teams at Golisano Children’s Hospital and Golisano Children’s Health Center have been by his side through every step of his treatment. Blake's bell ringing was a heartwarming celebration, made extra special by his loving parents John and Bridgette, his big brothers John Paul and Andrew, and close family friends. Blake rang his bell beside his father, who beat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) over 30 years ago. John shared how his own battle with cancer helped him connect with Blake during treatment. “I was able to understand how he was feeling. When he was feeling down, I was able to cheer him on.” Blake’s mom, Bridgette, expressed her gratitude, saying, “Without Golisano, Blake wouldn’t be here today. The team empowered him to take hold of his health and himself.” Congratulations, Blake! Your strength and resilience inspire us all. 💪❤️ #CancerFree #GoGolisano #ChildhoodCancerAwareness #Survivor #Strength #Hope

Eddie Ramirez is cancer free! 🎉 At 17 years old, Eddie has spent the last 9 months in treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma at Golisano Children's Hospital. Now cancer free, he can get back to the things he loves most, like his very own motorcycle! 🏍️ Congratulations to Eddie and his family! #GoGolisano #CancerFree #hodgkinlymphoma

Golisano Children's Hospital runs on Dunkin'! Big thanks to our friends from Dunkin' for coming out and having fun with us this morning! Along with samples for our team, our daycare kids were able to come down and paint with our facility dog, Dorian! Dorian joined our team in 2019 through a Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation grant, and has been supporting patients ever since! #GoGolisano #SWFL

Dante Madura-Addeo has gone home after 100 days at Golisano Children’s Hospital (77 of which were in our PICU)! 💕🎉❤️ On March 2nd of this year, Dante’s parents noticed that something wasn’t right with their little 6 year old. They took him to Golisano Children’s Hospital, where he’d previously received treatment for transient myeloproliferative disorder - a type of leukemia - and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome as one of the first babies in our NICU. Dante was lethargic, and presented with uncomfortable gastrointestinal distress alongside a heightened need for supplemental oxygen. The Golisano team ran tests and found that Dante was suffering from acute kidney injury, with hydronephrosis of the left kidney and only 9% function of the right. Our team inserted two ureteral stents to help the flow between Dante’s kidneys and bladder. He was placed on multiple medications due to complications with his treatment and previously diagnosed epileptic syndrome. The next few days went slowly, and then Dante suffered a 5 minute seizure on March 25, before falling into a 30 minute-long epileptic episode later that night. He was rushed to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), where testing began anew. Overnight, Dante’s labs revealed the presence of candida in the bloodstream. The team worked tirelessly to heal Dante while he struggled to breathe. A few days later, he was put on BiPAP to assist with breathing, but by the end of the week he was fully intubated. For the next two weeks, Dante showed signs of improvement, but on April 15th, scans showed pseudomonas bacteria in his lungs. His team put him back on high-strength antibiotics to fight the infection and waited to see how he would respond. Thankfully, within a week, Dante started looking better. On April 29th, Dante was well enough to be extubated and to have his stents removed after one full month in the PICU. There were some minor bumps in the road, but within a few days, he was getting back to being himself. After such a long hospital stay, Dante is happy to be home with his parents, Audra and Chris. We’re happy too, and the PICU will OWL-ways remember Dante and his bubbly personality! 🦉💕 #GoGolisano

Lee Health's Golisano Children's Hospital recognizes the efforts and contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community this Pride Month ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 Pride Month is an opportunity to reflect on the LGBTQIA+ movement and its progress in making the world a more inclusive place. We wish all of our LGBTQIA+ team members and allies a meaningful Pride Month! #GoGolisano #LeeHealth #PrideMonth

Our incredible 5th floor staff recently came together to give Alexis Leon Gomez, one of our awesome patients, a surprise 8th grade graduation walk! 🎓❤️ Alexis, who has been receiving treatment for acute myeloid leukemia since August, spent most of his school year inpatient in our hematology/oncology unit. Despite missing a lot of school, Alexis’ determination and spirit have been unwavering. He attended Immokalee Middle School and was so excited to see his picture in the yearbook – his first ever! His teachers, school staff, and classmates filled it with messages of support and love. Heather, our hospital school teacher, went to his school to pick up the yearbook, a shirt, and some other goodies. During the celebration, Dr. MacArthur, along with our amazing nurses and team, cheered Alexis on as he walked the halls. The joy and surprise on his face were unforgettable! 🥳 Next year, Alexis will start 9th grade at Immokalee High School. We are all so proud of his strength and resilience and can’t wait to see what the future holds for him. He loves math but is a gamer at heart. 🎮 #GoGolisano #GraduationDay #Inspiration #AMLFighter #ClassOf2024

Help us celebrate our Project SEARCH interns, class of 2024! 🌟🎓 This year we're celebrating Ashlyann Delgado, Mark Eastman, Kewayne Hill, Aaliyah Martinez, Timothy Papa, Jacob Reyes, Flavio Rios, Nicholas Robinson, Joseph Semreen, Jason Suarez, and Caitlyn Thomas! Project SEARCH is a school-to-work transition program for students with intellectual or developmental challenges. The program helps students develop life and work skills for competitive employment. The interns attend the program at Golisano Children's Hospital for a full school year, where we provide access to an on-site training classroom staffed by a special education teacher and a skills trainer. They then complete three 10-week rotations in various hospital departments. #GoGolisano #ProjectSEARCH

We are SO thankful to these local organizations for showcasing the power of collective generosity, further helping us advance crucial healthcare initiatives for the kids of Southwest Florida! 💗🌟 Moose Lodge 1899: Members of Moose Lodge off College Parkway rallied behind Barbara's Friends, a cause dedicated to pediatric cancer care at Golisano Children's Hospital! Through engaging game nights and bingo sessions, they made a meaningful contribution, highlighting the impact of community support. Westminster Club of Lehigh Acres: Under the leadership of Sheryl and Ken Block, alongside the Golden Girls, the Westminster Club of Lehigh Acres organized a triumphant Kentucky Derby party fundraiser for Golisano Children's Hospital! This year, their efforts tripled the amount raised compared to the previous year, showcasing their dedication to the cause and anticipation of a lasting partnership. Sheryl, a retired special education teacher, is thrilled to hear about Golisano's leading work in autism certification, ensuring inclusive care for all children. Naples Moose Lodge: In a touching tribute to one of their members, Naples Moose Lodge organized a golf tournament fundraiser raising over $5,000 for Barbara’s Friends to help kids with cancer at Golisano! Pediatric cancer is one of the core philanthropic pillars of the Moose. In addition, the Lodge donated a hundred Tommy the Moose stuffed animals to bring cheer to young patients! #GoGolisano #SWFL #childrenshospital #kidscare

Golisano Children's Hospital is the first Certified Autism Center™ hospital in Florida! 🌟💙 We fly this flag so families know that our team is specially trained to treat their children with autism spectrum and sensory disorders. Our first-of-its-kind SEA STAR Program brings together expertise from multiple disciplines, such as psychology, neurology, and special education, along with the lived experience and viewpoints of neurodivergent and disabled individuals, to grow the services of the hospital and our facilities. Learn more here: https://loom.ly/ZmBsFxM #GoGolisano #SEASTAR #CAC #IBCCES #CertifiedAutismCenter International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES)

Thank you to AES Restaurant Group, who donated over $17,600 through various fundraisers at 4 local Arby's locations! We are so incredibly grateful for our amazing community members, who always go above and beyond to support Golisano Children's Hospital! #AES #ARBYS #GoGolisano