November 16, 2019 — Miami HEAT fans, cancer survivors, novice and experienced dribblers and others who want to make a difference in the fight against cancer took to the streets of Miami today in an event like no other: The first-ever community-wide “Dribble Drive Against Cancer.”
Today’s fundraiser – presented by Miccosukee Resort & Gaming – marked the culmination of this year’s “HEAT.HELP.CURE.” initiative, representing, “Join the HEAT. You can HELP. Find a CURE.” Three leading South Florida organizations – the Miami HEAT, Baptist Health’s Miami Cancer Institute and Entercom – are in year two of the distinct philanthropic partnership.
“HEAT.HELP.CURE. is about our community coming together as a team in the fight against cancer,” said Baptist Health’s Executive VP and Chief Administrative Officer Joe Natoli. “It’s us versus cancer.”
Novice and experienced dribblers alike today raised funds for the cause by dribbling a basketball at their own pace on three different routes:
oThe Dribble Drive Challenge, 13.8 miles from Miami Cancer Institute to AmericanAirlines Arena
oThe Dribble Drive, 3.3 miles from Vizcaya Village to the arena
oThe Dribble Drive Dash, around the perimeter of the arena
Dribble Drive Challenge (13.8-mile) participants received a signature “pineapple” basketball autographed by Bam Adebayo and a photo at the arena with HEAT legend Glen Rice. Dribble Drive (3.3-mile) participants received two free tickets to a Miami HEAT game.
Five participating Entercom stations — Power 96 (WPOW-FM), 101.5 LITE FM (WLYF-FM), 102.7 The Beach (WMXJ-FM), AM 790 The Ticket (WAXY-AM) and 104.3 The Shark (WSFS-FM) – joined the community in the Dribble Drive. Kicked off by AM 790 The Ticket midday show co-host and Miami HEAT reporter Jonathon Zaslow, the Dribble Drive featured station talent dribbling from Miami Cancer Institute to AmericanAirlines Arena, with listeners encouraged to join them and donate along the way.
The same lineup of stations participated November 13 in the second annual “HEAT.HELP.CURE. Radiothon,” broadcasting live from the plaza at AmericanAirlines Arena. During the 13-hour event, listeners made phone and online donations to benefit Miami Cancer Institute. The radiothon featured interviews with Miami HEAT Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, HEAT legends who have been affected by cancer, coaches, patients who have been treated at Miami Cancer institute, and physicians who provide expert, compassionate care to those patients.
The tipoff of HEAT.HELP.CURE. was the Miami HEAT’s “Red, White & Pink Game,” an open scrimmage October 6 at AmericanAirlines Arena with ticket sales benefiting the cause.
The combined events within the HEAT.HELP.CURE. initiative raised more than $576,881 to benefit groundbreaking cancer research at Miami Cancer Institute, which opened in 2017 and now cares for more than 1,000 patients daily.
“Every day, cancer researchers and physicians at Miami Cancer Institute work tirelessly to build a world without cancer,” said the Institute’s CEO and Executive Medical Director Michael Zinner, M.D. “Our community can make a genuine impact through this significant partnership.”
Generous sponsors of HEAT.HELP.CURE. include American Airlines, Anidjar & Levine, Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors + CPAs, Brightline, Carnival Foundation, Catholic Health Services, Clear Channel Outdoor, Entercom, FedEx, Florida Blue, Florida Power & Light, Healthgrades, Media Counselors, Miami-Dade Ambulance Service, Miami HEAT, Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald, Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, Misfits Gaming, Perry Ellis International, Republica Havas, Team FootWorks, UBER and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.
HEAT.HELP.CURE. supporters include Bermello Ajamil & Partners, The Box Advertising, Carlton Fields, Freebee, Greenberg Traurig, Microsoft, Ultimate Software, Wizard Creations and Wolfe Pincavage.
For more information about HEAT.HELP.CURE. and to make a difference, visit HEATHELPCURE.org.
About Miami Cancer Institute
Miami Cancer Institute brings to South Florida access to personalized clinical treatments and comprehensive support services delivered with unparalleled compassion. No other cancer program in the region has the combination of cancer-fighting expertise and advanced technology—including the first proton therapy center in South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean, and one of the only radiation oncology program in the world with each of the newest radiation therapies in one place—to diagnose and deliver precise cancer treatments that achieve the best outcomes and improve the lives of cancer patients. The Institute offers an impressive roster of established community oncologists and renowned experts, clinical researchers and genomic scientists recruited from the nation’s top cancer centers. Selected as Florida’s only member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer (MSK) Alliance, Miami Cancer Institute is part of a meaningful clinical collaboration that affords patients in South Florida access to innovative treatments and ensures that the standards of care developed by their multidisciplinary disease management teams match those at MSK.
