Fort Lauderdale, Florida - The Amazon 13th Annual Broward Health Ball, presented by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, TeamHealth and VITAS Healthcare, brought together more than 1,400 community and philanthropic leaders for an unforgettable evening of music, dining and dancing, raising nearly $3.5 million for the Broward Health Foundation.
Funds raised support Broward Health’s mission of providing exceptional care, extraordinary compassion and everyday excellence, ensuring the community’s health and well-being for generations to come. Guests enjoyed an entertaining evening with immersive décor, aerial performances, live musical entertainment, themed lounges and more. WSVN’s reporter Alex Miranda served as emcee.
“The Broward Health Ball is a powerful reminder of what our community can achieve when we come together with a shared purpose. Due to the generosity of last year’s many donors, we had the ability to invest in new technology, expand graduate medical education programming and enhance our specialty care,” said Shane Strum, President and CEO of Broward Health. “We will continue that trend, thanks to our sponsors and donors from this year’s ball, who together raised almost $3.5 million, making a lasting impact for the families of Broward County.”
Notable Philanthropic Support
Donors took center stage, recognized for their exceptional generosity. Notable donations included:
- A $700,000 anonymous gift to Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, the largest in its history.
- $500,000 from Broward Health Foundation Chair Mark Kent. This includes $250,000 to name the lobby of the new medical office building at Broward Health Medical Center in honor of Shane Strum and $250,000 to name the learning center within the new GME space at Broward Health Medical Center in honor of Patricia Rowe-King, M.D., Broward Health’s designated institutional officer.
- A $250,000 anonymous gift from a family foundation.
- A $100,000 gift from the Jaffer Family Foundation.
Additional funds were raised through the evening’s silent and live auctions, which featured exclusive experiences and luxury travel packages, and during a Give from the Heart paddle drive that gave donors an opportunity to win a ride on the Goodyear Blimp and a private shopping experience at the Colonnade Outlets at Sawgrass Mills.
Recognizing Community Impact
The Broward Health Foundation presented the third annual Stella Award to community leader and philanthropist Pam Africk in recognition of her enduring commitment to the community. Through her leadership and the Africk Family Foundation, she has helped raise critical funds for cardiac rehabilitation by championing the annual Broward Health Spin-A-Thon, which will take place again this year on May 3, 2026, at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.
Investing in the Future of Healthcare
Another powerful moment during the event featured individuals representing every stage of a physician's career—from high school and medical students to attending physicians and chiefs of staff—forming a living snapshot of the future of healthcare. Evan Boyar, M.D., chief medical officer of Broward Health, and Jerry Capote, M.D., chief medical officer of Broward Health Medical Center, spoke to the impact of philanthropy on the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, the largest physician training program in Broward County.
To support the Broward Health Foundation or to learn more about the Broward Health Ball, visit BrowardHealthFoundation.org.
Broward Health, founded in 1938 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ranks among the 10 largest public healthcare systems in the United States. Nationally recognized for its focus on high-quality care for the residents of Broward County and beyond, Broward Health boasts four hospitals, two trauma centers, was the county’s first statutory teaching hospital and has an ever-growing graduate medical education program. It includes more than 50 health centers and physician practices covering virtually every healthcare specialty.
Broward Health never stops working toward its mission of Exceptional Care, Extraordinary Compassion and Everyday Excellence. Driven by more than 11,000 talented employees and physicians who deliver care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay, Broward Health is one of the largest employers in Broward County with an operating budget of over $2 billion and annually provides over $523 million in charity and uncompensated care. For more information about Broward Health, visit BrowardHealth.org.
