History & Overview

A series of exciting milestones led to the creation of UM/Sylvester. In fact, the cancer center's rich history dates back to 1973, when it was known as the Comprehensive Cancer Center for the State of Florida. One year later, the first Cancer Control Research Program for the State of Florida was initiated at the cancer center by Dr. Jack Healey.

The Regional Cancer Information Service office, funded by the National Cancer Institute, was established at UM/Sylvester in 1976. The Cancer Information Service is the foremost source for the latest, most accurate cancer information for patients, their families, the general public, and health professionals in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In 1986, philanthropist Harcourt Sylvester Jr. pledged $27.5 million to benefit cancer programs at the medical school. In recognition of the largest gift to date to the University of Miami, the cancer center was renamed the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in honor of Mr. Sylvester’s parents, Harcourt Sr. and Virginia. To date, the Harcourt M. and Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation has committed more than $50 million to fund programs at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.

Groundbreaking for the new clinical facility was held May 17, 1989, and the 117,500 square-foot cancer center opened in June 1992.

In 1996, W. Jarrad Goodwin, M.D., F.A.C.S. was appointed director of UM/Sylvester in an effort to unite the clinical and research divisions. Today, UM/Sylvester serves as the hub for cancer-related research, diagnosis, and treatment at the Miller School of Medicine.