Down here in South Florida, we just celebrated the fourth Dolphins Cycling Challenge, an annual event to raise money for cancer research at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Health System (UHealth).
More than 2,700 riders helped to raise nearly $2 million this year, and the event has provided $3.8 million since its inception.
So we thought it would be appropriate to speak with Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., an internationally renowned cardiologist and cardiovascular researcher who is CEO of UHealth. He also rode in the event.
I asked about recent UHealth advancements in the treatment of cancer, and Goldschmidt told me about a new drug for lymphoma called SGN35 – discovered by Sylvester researcher Eckhard Podack – that is tested and is now on the market helping people.
He said there is also a unique bone marrow transplant program available to those for whom more conventional treatment techniques have failed.
Goldschmidt said Sylvester cancer specialists treat patients in satellite offices throughout Southeast Florida, and the center combines cancer treatment with research and a survivorship emphasis to create a unique and effective program.
“We approach cancer in a way that is multidisciplinary. That’s the unique aspect of academic medicine. Not only do we have the surgeons and the medical oncologists, we have the radiation oncologists and, now, we are adding disciplines like interventional oncology,” he said.
“And we also have teams of individuals that specialize in diagnosis. It’s really important for all of these specialists to know exactly the specifics of the cancer they have to deal with. The oncology pathologists are providing a huge opportunity for people in this region by defining the cancer in an extremely precise manner.”
In the area of pediatrics, Goldschmidt told me Sylvester provides many of the doctors for the Holtz Children’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial Medical Center and recently opened an outpatient facility for kids called Alex’s Place.
Looking ahead, Goldschmidt said plans for Sylvester include deployment of new sites in the South Florida region and better access to integrative medicine.
“Many years ago I told the people of Florida that we would bring the absolute best medicine into their backyard, and I mean that. We are doing just that with the deployment of our health system,” he said.
“Every day I hear from patients who are so grateful for the care our extraordinary physicians, nurses, and staff are delivering. And it’s very important for Florida. A region can only become all that it can be once the medicine in the region is absolutely outstanding.”
Click here for the full interview with Dr. Goldschmidt.
