Patient Care

The mission of our Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Team is to provide the finest, most compassionate care to children suffering from childhood cancers and blood disorders. Staffing top pediatric specialists, using the latest kid-friendly expertise and making innovative strides in pediatric research, we dedicate ourselves to the health and well-being of our patients

Child and art project

Because childhood cancers and blood disorders are so rare, most young patients are referred to specialized centers for their treatment. The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology specialists here at UF Health Shands Hospital diagnose and treat childhood blood disorders and cancers using a multidisciplinary approach that includes medical, surgical, and radiotherapies. We have a wide variety of medical specialties with the skills needed to identify and care for these children using state-of-the-art technologies. Today, nearly 80 percent of children diagnosed with cancer become long-term survivors.

UF Health Shands Hospital’s Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Department is an active member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG). This group represents the merger of four national pediatric cancer research groups, which designs and evaluates cancer therapies through large clinical trials. Our patients receive cutting edge therapies based on nationally approved research protocols. As a member hospital of COG, we have contributed to these impressive progressions in childhood cancer survival and cure.


Quarterly Symposium


Our Clinical Services

Brain Tumors

Brain TumorsOne out of every six (6) childhood cancer diagnosis is a brain tumor, and in fact brain and spinal cord tumors are the most common solid tumors of childhood.

Pediatric Cancer Survivorship

Pediatric cancer treatment is a major testament to what can be achieved trough modern medicine. The diagnosis of a pediatric cancer has gone from what was commonly considered a death sentence to the current time when almost every childhood cancer is considered curable.

Palliative Care Program

Here at UF Health we carefully evaluate each person as a whole and unique individual, then develop a comprehensive treatment plan based on the patient’s goals of care to relieve physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering.


Helpful Information


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BethAnn Telford Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Family Support Fund.

The Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Family Support Fund was created by the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology care team to help support families of children undergoing brain tumor treatment at UF Health. These treatments often require lengthy hospital admissions and numerous outpatient appointments that stretch over the course of several months to years depending on the specific type of brain cancer.

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Pediatric Oncology Support Fund

The economic impact of pediatric cancer on families is significant at all income levels. Families acquire direct costs such as insurance payments, co-pays, medications, as well as additional out-of-pocket costs that directly affect patient access to care such as travel, lodging, food, etc. Families also endure financial burden through socioeconomic factors such as work interruption and/or unemployment, lifestyle changes, and decrease in household income. An oncology diagnosis will also disrupt family functioning, and families often fail to have the emotional or financial ability to secure resources independently. This fund will assist with a myriad of family support needs as identified by the pediatric oncology service.

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