Bounce Back from Cancer™ Event Raises More Than $5 Million for Cancer Research
MIAMI, FL – March 24, 2025 – More than 1,750 people participated in Bounce Back from CancerTM, a partnership between Baptist Health Foundation and The Miami HEAT, on Saturday, March 15. The grassroots annual fundraiser, now in its sixth year, brought the community together to dribble basketballs through the streets of Miami while raising money to fund groundbreaking cancer research and clinical trials at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute.
The event united cancer survivors and their families and friends, leaders and staff from the Miami HEAT and Baptist Health, sports fans and community members to help fulfill the Institute’s vision of a world without cancer.
“It was a moving and inspiring sight to see the community come together to fight this terrible disease,” said event chair Richard Berkowitz, JD, CPA, founding and executive chairman of Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors + CPAs. “The power we have when we join together will make a meaningful impact on the lives of cancer fighters and their families.”
The Miami HEAT’s Udonis Haslem served as the event’s celebrity ambassador and social media influencer for the fourth year in a row. Haslem joined the dribblers — who chose from 14.2-, 6- and two-miles courses — at the Kaseya Center finish line for a celebration honoring the cancer survivors.
Joe Natoli, senior vice president and chief administrative officer for Baptist Health, added “As Baptist Health continues to grow its cancer program, the funds raised from Bounce Back from CancerTM are critical to expanding our research capabilities. We are truly grateful to all the participants — and especially our “Hall of Fame” top fundraisers — for going the extra mile to help us reach our $5 million goal.”
In addition to the Miami HEAT, sponsors for Bounce Back from CancerTM included Title Sponsor Kaseya; Presenting Sponsors S&K Worldwide Realty, LLC and Terra; Official Time Out Sponsor Pinecrest Bakery; Start Line Presenting Sponsors DPR Construction, El Car Wash and NV2A Central Joint Venture; Platinum sponsors Amerant Bank, Berkowitz Pollack Brant / Provenance Wealth Advisors, Inter and Vilar-Hoynack Construction Co.; and Gold sponsors Adelanto HealthCare Ventures, LLC,
Al-Flex Exterminators, American Airlines, Assured Partners, Bermello Ajamil, a Woolpert Company, Florida Blue, Florida Power & Light Company, Palm Medical Centers, Perry Ellis International and ServiceNow. Silver, Bronze and Supporter level sponsors and underwriters also contributed to the event.
John Vidalin, executive vice president and chief commercial officer for The HEAT Group, remarked, “We are so proud of our partnership with Baptist Health Foundation and our shared commitment to the fight against cancer. It’s exciting to see how the event has grown and how many corporate partners are stepping up to support cancer patients in South Florida.”
To donate or learn more more about Bounce Back from CancerTM, visit BounceBackfromCancer.net. Fundraising continues through March 31.
About Baptist Health Foundation
The mission of Baptist Health Foundation is to inspire philanthropy and build extraordinary donor relationships in support of excellence, innovation, community wellness and global leadership in healthcare at Baptist Health South Florida. Through philanthropy, the Foundation supports and expands Baptist Health’s ability to provide outstanding patient care and bring the latest treatments to patients and families affected by a serious illness. Donor contributions also allow the Foundation to assist Baptist Health facilities in keeping pace with technology and equipment advances, perform cutting-edge research and offer continuing education opportunities to medical staff. Learn more at BaptistHealth.net/Foundation and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.
Baptist Health Foundation is part of Baptist Health, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 28,000 employees, 4,500 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned institutes specializing in cancer care, brain and spine care, heart and vascular care and orthopedic care. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and the Baptist Health PineApp, a virtual health platform. Baptist Health South Florida is an academic and clinical affiliate of Florida International University. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and is the most awarded healthcare system in South Florida by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
About Kaseya Center
Located in the center of booming downtown Miami and the Entertainment District, Kaseya Center—home of the three-time NBA Champion Miami HEAT—hosts 80+ non-basketball events each year including A-list concerts, family shows, sporting events, national conferences and more. Built with state-of-the-art sound and lighting and HD and electronic media signage inside and out, the impressive 19,600-seat Kaseya Center is currently ranked the #1 arena in Florida for the ninth consecutive year—and the 12th time during the past 13 years—according to both Pollstar and Billboard’s 2023 year-end rankings. Kaseya Center is also among the leading facilities in the country for hosting Latin entertainment. The Center has led the renaissance of downtown Miami over the past two decades, helping to transform the area into a thriving arts and entertainment district. The facility has hosted more than 1,200 events including diverse musical superstars such as Marc Anthony, Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, New Edition, The Killers, Bad Bunny, Carrie Underwood, Dua Lipa, Tool, Imagine Dragons, Kane Brown, Karol G, Drake, Andrea Bocelli and Paul McCartney, just to name a few. In 2009, Kaseya Center became among the first existing buildings in the country to have achieved LEED certification by the United States Green Building Council for its commitment to sustainability practices. More recently, in 2021, the Arena achieved its second LEED gold recertification. For more information about Kaseya Center, visit kaseyacenter.com.
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