‘A Very Special Moment': Miami's Nicklaus Children's Hospital Gets $25M Donation - NBC 6 South Florida

The billionaire CEO of Citadel has donated $25 million to Miami's Nicklaus Children's Hospital, one of the largest single donations in its 72-year history.

The donation from Citadel's Ken Griffin will support the hospital's new five-story, 127,000-square-foot surgical tower that's set to open in 2024, the hospital announced Tuesday at a news conference.

"We are so blessed to have such a talented team dedicated to providing the best possible care to children across the state and around the world," Griffin said. "Ensuring that all children have access to high-quality health care has been a priority of mine for many years and I'm honored today to play a role in expanding the important work of this incredible institution."

The donation will also provide funding for Nicklaus Children's four major institutes to advance pediatric care.

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus, the hospital's namesake, called it "a very special moment."

"Thanks to Ken's generosity, Nicklaus Children's Hospital will be able to provide necessary life-changing surgeries to children who need it," Nicklaus said. "Giving the chance of a healthy life to a child is the greatest gift you can give a family."

Hospital officials said the surgical tower will break barriers in South Florida and throughout the state.

"It would be the first freestanding building that's completely dedicated to pediatric surgical services, I think that's incredible," said Dr. Toba Niazi, medical director of Neuro-Oncology Surgical Services. "It will allow us to have the state-of-the-art equipment and be able to provide state-of-the-art surgical care to patients and specifically children."

The donation is also crucial in supporting care for brain, cancer and blood disorders, among other pediatric needs.

"These operating rooms will be large and expansive. We're going to have the best technology, the best surgeons and nurses in recruitment. But it's really going to elevate that bar across Florida, across the country, on state-of-the-art surgery for kids," Nicklaus Children's president and CEO Matthew Love said.