You made this year’s Bounce Back from Cancer™ one to remember!
In its sixth year, Bounce Back from CancerTM 2025 brought thousands together to dribble through the streets of Miami and raise millions for breakthrough cancer research and clinical trials at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute.
We are full of gratitude for each and every one of you who participated with us on Saturday, March 15, for Bounce Back from CancerTM 2025. Like so many, we joined this cause because cancer touched our lives, and thanks to our experiences at Baptist Health and the work of Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, we believe that a world without cancer is possible.
In 2024, Bounce Back from CancerTM raised $4.1 million... and we are proud to report that this year—together with all of you—we raised over $5.3 million to fund lifesaving cancer research at Miami Cancer Institute, a new record!
We both believe that there’s nothing more gratifying than raising money for a cause that saves lives. It has been an honor for us to serve as co-chairs of this incredible fundraiser, and as Jorge takes over as chair in 2026, the Bounce Back team will continue to do what they do best: inspire the community, build teams, bring on sponsors, expand the event and reach new fundraising milestones.
The patient experience and the culture that creates it at Miami Cancer Institute is extraordinary, and that is exactly what you will see reflected in these pages. It is our sincere hope that you feel intense pride as you read through this Bounce Back from CancerTM 2025 accomplishments report, because none of it would be possible without you.
Thank you for your dedication to a world without cancer.
In 2024, US News & World Report ranked:
• Miami Cancer Institute
#1 in South Florida
• Baptist Health Cancer Care
in the top 10% in the nation
Bounce Back from CancerTM is a partnership between The Miami HEAT and Baptist Health Foundation to raise critical funds to help the not-for-profit Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute achieve its vision of a world without cancer.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. One in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes. Bounce Back from CancerTM is a movement to help defeat those statistics through community events. As the region’s only cancer center selected as a Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance member, Miami Cancer Institute is redefining collaboration between a globally acclaimed cancer research institution and a community-based cancer center. Together, they combine expertise, insights, diagnostics, targeted therapies, advanced technologies, data and consultation, all for the benefit of cancer patients.
Funds raised through Bounce Back from CancerTM will help Miami Cancer Institute conduct breakthrough research and clinical trials that will lead to effective new treatments and eventually a cure.
247,642 - Visits with leading physicians
20,354 - Diagnostic procedures
6,946 - Breast imaging procedures
21,065 - Cancer surgeries and treatments
9,213 - Patients supported through their cancer journey by our navigation program
35,470 - Nursing consults
46,522 - Infusion visits
762 - MR LinacTM treatments
399 - Gamma KnifeTM treatments
411 - Community members screened at 14 Community Cancer Screening events, with 37 abnormal findings identified that would otherwise have gone undetected
2,279 - Educational programs, exercise classes, support groups, community outreach and Arts in Medicine
66,924 - Engagements in population health programming
WE SCORED BIG IN 2025 !
Our Legends, MVPs, Champions and All-Stars are key players from all walks of life—physicians, cancer survivors, friends and family members. This year, they collectively raised 65% of our total—that’s over $3.4 million for lifesaving cancer research.
Our Champions - $387,831 Combined Total
Jason Gilg - $42,175
Javi Rosell - $37,870
Marco Zuniga Gutierrez - $36,475
Rogelio Ribas, M.D. - $34,855
Guenther Koehne, M.D. - $28,350
Luis Sousa - $27,655
Christopher Gomez, M.D. - $26,400
Our All-Stars - $611,637 Combined Total
Udonis Haslem
Cristine Pacheco
Adrian Barrios
Fernando Valentiner
Ernesto Avino
Karen Kulvin
Stephanie Masterson
Terry Perrin
Lani Kahn Drody
Fowad Choudhry
Leonard Kalman, M.D.
Steve Brodie
Jaime Cowan
Matt Arsenault
Bill Duquette
Dondra Ritzenthaler
Albert Dotson Jr.
John Arrien
Sara Moshkani
Lisa Reale, M.D.
Antonio Ucar, M.D.
Lauren Carcas, M.D.
Rita Magill
Gustavo Alfonso
Zoe Wolfe
Reshma Mahtani, D.O.
Lindsey Lamchick
Starr Mautner, M.D.
Cristina Lopez-Penalver, M.D.
Brandon Sadowsky
David Ettinger
Adeel Kaiser, M.D.
Justin Cowan
Jessi Berrin
Jacob Zunamon
Georgina Gonzalez-Robiou
Rosie Giacosa
Karen Vassell
Charles Gonzalez
Sharon Prolow
Tatiana Haro
Joel Schenkman, M.D.
Jack Ziffer, M.D.
Binyan Studios
Chris De Leon
Jane Mendez, M.D.
Oti Roberts - $26,250
Monica Ortiz - $26,106
Thomas McDonald - $26,000
Olga Villaverde - $25,418
John Diaz, M.D. - $25,277
Susan Chi, M.D. - $25,000
Rebecca Fletcher
Miriam Lopez
Andrea De Armas
Jennifer Miranda, M.D.
Vishnu Kurella
Kenneth Spell
Elizabeth Halphen
Drew Grossman
Giovanni Paraliticci, M.D.
Fernando Hernandez
Bo Boulenger
Rachel Spiegel
Steve Costa-Serrano
Courtney De Stefano
Liam Reynolds
Rohan Garje, M.D.
Kristen Ordonez
Betty Oropesa
Ana Logan
Ronald Tolchin, D.O.
Sheryl Palumbo
Zach Haverty
Jaclyn Bild
Adrian Cristian, M.D.
Donny Duarte
Jagger Mustelier
Seema Chandra, M.D.
Adriene McCoy
Susan Winslow-Garcia
Benji Arellano
Edward Garabedian
Larry Spiegelman, M.D.
Nancy Batista-Rodriguez
Vicki Caraway, RN, BSN, MBA, NE-BC
Jean-Pierre Obeid, M.D.
Sandy Grossman
Zander Hertz
Joshua Hertz
Jana Hertz
Andrew Hertz
Adam Olster
Peter Walker
Melissa Gracey
Listed in descending order by amount raised
Having a ball on the rooftop with our Hall of Famers Dinner
Today I am cancer free, and I’m really loving my life. We really want to try and give back because we received so much.
- Carolina Chaljub, patient, participant, large B-cell lymphoma survivor “ ”
“I was a busy, social person, hosting events and raising toddlers. Then I was diagnosed with blood cancer—primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. I didn’t know what to expect, but the confidence of my Baptist Health oncologist and my big support system at Miami Cancer Institute carried me through six rounds of chemotherapy and targeted immunotherapy.
When my PET scan came back almost clean, I still had no hair. I still could physically see myself as a cancer patient. That’s when I decided to participate in Bounce Back from CancerTM for the first time. There were survivors, friends of friends, even patients on active chemotherapy walking and dribbling a ball for miles. I felt that camaraderie, like we’re all part of the same team.
When I crossed the finish line, that was the moment that I was really emotional. I was like, ‘Wow, like it’s crazy that I’m here because of me.’ Everybody was happy and cheering you on. It was incredible: the food, the music, my kids danced all day. It was really, really special.”
When breast cancer patients at Baptist Health Cancer Care in Plantation meet their medical team for the first time, they discover something remarkable: an entirely female group of providers who truly understand their journey.
Led by Chief of Breast Medical Oncology Reshma Mahtani, D.O. and including medical oncologists Lauren Carcas, M.D. and Naomi Dempsey, M.D., surgeon Nadia Nocera, M.D., and radiation oncologist Ana Botero, M.D., this team brings a unique level of empathy and connection to cancer care.
“An all-women breast cancer team is magic,” Dr. Carcas says. “I find that patients recognize that I am able to relate to their concerns regarding body image, sexuality, intimacy, juggling the demands of family and children and the desire to be around to raise those children in the years to come.”
Breast cancer affects nearly 300,000 women annually, but survival rates continue to improve thanks to early detection and innovative clinical trials like those pioneered at Baptist Health.
There is incredible hope and optimism for the future,” Dr. Nocera says, “There has been much change and progress in the past five to 10 years, and patients will continue to benefit immensely.
The ATEMPT 2.0 trial —
Led by site investigator Dr. Mahtani, this is a phase 2 clinical trial for patients with Stage 1 HER2-positive breast cancer who have already undergone surgery to remove their tumor.
The EMBER4 trial —
Led by site investigator Dr. Dempsey, EMBER4 is a phase 3 trial for patients with high risk early-stage estrogen receptor positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who have received two to five years of endocrine therapy.
- Peter Walker, patient, participant, S tage-4 lung cancer survivor ” “
To see how the Foundation utilizes the money makes me a believer.
[There is such a difference from] where I was mentally when I got diagnosed, to where I am today: full of hope.
“I started having fevers, chronic coughing and I couldn’t lift my arm, but I wrote it off as a flu or a cold. Then, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.
Once we got the information that I had a treatable lung cancer with a trial medication, I went for it. It’s a pill that I take every day. It’s working, and it’s amazing that I can get treated by just one pill as opposed to the traditional means.
I believe the only way to really advance cancer care and medicine care is through the research - that’s why I participate in Bounce Back from CancerTM. The 14 miles is what I do every year. Connecting with people in the morning, walking, enjoying the scenery down here, seeing what is being done to raise the money and where it’s going means so much. I wake up appreciating every little moment that I have with my family, my wife and kids. This journey put that in perspective for me—I feel like I’m thriving.”
Connie Harrington received a devastating diagnosis in December 2021: advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer. But through unwavering faith, support and the expertise of Michael Chuong, M.D., vice chair and medical director of radiation oncology at Miami Cancer Institute, her three-year journey would defy all odds.
After chemotherapy at Mayo Clinic, she found out she wasn’t a candidate for surgery. Connie then traveled to Miami for groundbreaking MRI-guided radiation therapy using the ViewRayTM MRIdian system—one of only two places in the U.S. offering this precise treatment. The innovative therapy eliminated her tumor with minimal side effects, giving her 18 months of cancer-free life filled with travel and precious time with family.
When the cancer unfortunately returned in early 2024, Connie’s response wasn’t despair but gratitude and renewed faith in her medical team. “I knew that I had gotten through it once, and I knew Dr. Chuong would be able to help me again,” she said. “I trusted them. And that’s the key. When you go someplace to have major treatment, you need to feel confidence in their knowledge and trust in their experience. And I felt that overwhelmingly.”
Thanks to regular PET-CT scans, the recurrence was caught early as a small lesion, allowing Dr. Chuong to again deliver high-dose MRI-guided radiation—a risky re-treatment that most oncologists wouldn’t attempt. The results were equally remarkable: complete eradication with no pain or discomfort.
Now thriving in retirement, Connie spends her time writing, counseling other cancer patients and sharing her powerful message that “hope is the key to healing.”
Thanks to the remarkable dedication of our Baptist Health physicians—from sites all over South Florida— we significantly exceeded our participation and fundraising goals, making this year’s Bounce Back from CancerTM a record-breaking success.
• 102 Physicians Registered –Surpassing our original goal of 70 participants—a 57% increase from 2024
• $880,000 Total Raised –A 21% increase over last year
• Physicians constituted 5% of all participants and accounted for nearly 17% of total fundraising
• Average Physician Fundraising: Each participating physician raised an average of over $8,500
For six years in a row, the Miami HEAT has partnered with Baptist Health Foundation to put on this transformational, community-wide, family-friendly event that has raised over $15.9 million cumulatively for research and clinical trials at the Institute since 2018.
This year, all participants received a signature Pineapple Basketball to dribble at the event, as well as a Bounce Back “swag bag” of branded merchandise. Participants who completed the 14.2-mile Bounce Back Challenge also received a basketball autographed by a Miami HEAT player or legend.
We are so grateful to Miami native and former HEAT team captain Udonis Haslem, who reprised his role this year as brand ambassador for Bounce Back from CancerTM .
One thing I know about success is this: no one does it by themselves. Cancer has challenged my family and myself multiple times.
First it was my father and my mother, and then just recently, it was my stepmother. Growing up, one thing my parents used to always say was, ‘We don’t teach ‘quit’, we don’t give up.’
This fight, this cause, is very, very personal to me. And they are why I don’t stop.
It’s easy to get discouraged, but Bounce Back from CancerTM is encouraging. It’s bigger than people just coming together trying to raise money for a cause. It’s genuinely a family atmosphere. We dribble as one, we cross the finish line as one, and I think ‘as one’ is the way we’re gonna beat this disease. I recently retired from basketball, but it’s just the second act, it’s not really retirement. This is my new job now, to be even more invested in fighting against cancer.
I feel empowered now. I found a support system. I see the survivors here. I see everybody around here. I know there’s hope. I know people can win. I do see a world where there is no cancer. There will be a cure someday—I believe that truly in my heart and in my soul. All you need is a little bit of hope, and a lot of research.
- Udonis Haslem Bounce Back from CancerTM Ambassador
Bounce Back from CancerTM 2025 would not have been possible without the incredible support and generosity of our 77 corporate sponsors. Together, they helped us raise $1,326,972 to benefit Miami Cancer Institute, fueling innovation, advancing cancer care and providing hope to countless patients and families.
Our sponsors’ commitment, partnership and passion for the cause continue to inspire and move our mission forward. From all of us at Baptist Health Foundation—thank you for standing with us in the fight against cancer. We are truly grateful.
“Bounce Back from CancerTM holds a special place in our hearts. Not only is it in support of Baptist Health, a client we’ve been proud to partner with for many years, but it also touches a deeply personal chord. Many of us at NV2A have felt the impact of cancer—through family, friends and our own experiences. Contributing to the fight against this disease is more than a cause; it’s a commitment.
We are truly honored to stand with Baptist Health and support such an inspiring and impactful event.”
- A gustin R. Arellano Jr., Chief Financial Officer, NV2A
OFFICIAL BOUNCE BACK FROM CANCER™ PARTNER
CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE SPONSOR
MVP PRESENTING SPONSORS
OFFICIAL TIME OUT SPONSOR
START LINE PRESENTING SPONSORS
Full Court Challenge Sponsored by Half Court Sponsored by Final Stretch Sponsored by
ALL-DEFENSIVE PLATINUM SPONSORS
REVERSE JAM GOLD SPONSORS
UNDERWRITING SUPPORTERS
The Cobb Family Foundation
IN-KIND SUPPORTERS
These sponsors went above and beyond, donating through sales proceeds and special promotions!
Raised $67,000 through sales and promotions
Raised $65,000 through sales and promotions
Raised $52,000 through Month of Giving and Day of Giving
To our amazing community of nearly 2,000 participants and over 7,800 generous donors - you’ve made something incredible happen. Together with the Miami HEAT, Bounce Back from CancerTM has now raised almost $16 million for groundbreaking research happening right here at Miami Cancer Institute—research that is bringing us closer to our vision of a world without cancer.
Thank you for going the distance and proving that together, we are unstoppable.
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