Miami heirs invest $15m in cancer fight, fueled by family loss
A $15 million donation from real estate magnates Helen and Jacob Shaham is poised to significantly bolster cancer care at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, a gift driven by deeply personal tragedy and a decades-long legacy of caring for the vulnerable.
From opa-locka startup to philanthropic powerhouse
The Shahams, who immigrated from Israel with just $38,000 nearly five decades ago, have built The Palace Group into a sprawling senior care empire. Their journey, a testament to relentless effort – Jacob Shaham notes 20-hour days, seven days a week for two decades – now culminates in this substantial investment in pediatric oncology. The cancer & Blood Disorders Institute will now bear the Shaham name, a tangible recognition of their commitment.
The impetus for this generosity stems from a profound family loss. Jacob Shaham’s twin brother succumbed to cancer, while another family member benefited directly from the hospital’s care. “She always spoke so wonderfully about the hospital,” Helen Shaham remarked, underscoring the deep connection they feel to the institution. Their sustained dedication to the care sector, evident in the familial atmosphere they cultivate within The Palace Group – “We hug and kiss the residents, the families all the time,” Helen Shaham stated – appears to have naturally extended to supporting the hospital’s mission.
A beacon of hope for young patients
The donation arrives at a critical juncture. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital serves a substantial population of children covered by Medicaid, many of whom lack insurance. The sheer scale of the need is staggering: nearly 16,000 children in the U.S., and hundreds in Florida alone, receive a cancer diagnosis annually. But for Sabrina Soto, a 16-year-old battling a rare form of liver cancer – one of only seven documented cases in the country – the Shahams’ contribution represents a lifeline.
Currently undergoing treatment, doctors report Sabrina is showing signs of a full recovery. Her anticipation of ringing the celebratory bell and returning to the pool, activities curtailed by her illness, encapsulates the hope generated by the hospital and its generous benefactors. “It’s a gift that you cannot buy,” Jacob Shaham observed, reflecting on the impact of the donation and the power of compassionate giving. The Shahams' decades of dedication to elder care now finds a powerful parallel in their commitment to safeguarding the lives of Florida’s youngest residents, a testament to their enduring belief in the value of human life.