NAPLES, Fla. — For more than eight years, the Golisano Children’s Health Center in Naples has served as a vital healthcare resource for thousands of families in Collier County. Now, some feel, that care is in jeopardy.
The center, operated by Lee Health, currently subleases its facility from Miami-based Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Lee Health says it received an eviction notice, instructing them to vacate the building by April 4. Nicklaus decided not to enforce the eviction notice, but the entities have not disclosed any agreement about what will happen instead.
Lee Health and families who rely on the center tell Dominga Murray they're still deeply concerned about its future:
“This leaves a lot of uncertainty for parents,” Lara Aulestia said, a local mom who founded the Save Naples Golisano Health Center campaign. "To be able to go somewhere this close to my home and have specialized pediatric care is really important. I don’t think there’s enough of that here."
Roughly 65,000 families in the Naples area use services provided by the Golisano Children’s Hospital system, which includes specialized care for children with cancer, neurological conditions, and other medical needs.
Oncology nurse Lacey Stoller launched a petition to save the facility. It's doubled in signatures in the past week alone.
“I just wanted to do something to help the situation,” Stoller said. “I couldn’t believe this was happening. I decided to make a petition to try to fight it."
For families like Brandi Woolington’s, the center is more than a medical office. Her teenage daughter has Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.
She fears losing local care would force families to travel long distances for essential treatments, risking safety and continuity of care.
“Somebody like my daughter, with epilepsy, to have to drive across the state and hope she doesn’t have a seizure during the car ride...it puts me and others on the road in danger,” Woolington said.
Lee Health called the paused eviction a “reprieve,” but emphasized that it is not a resolution. This is a statement from the healthcare system:
Lee Health remains committed to bringing care to the children of Collier County. We’re grateful for the steadfast support of families in the community who recognized the importance of the expertise of the Golisano nurses, doctors, and staff. The longevity of the facility that is home to Golisano Children’s Health Center of Naples is critical for the continuity of care of the most vulnerable in our community.
Lee Health is unwavering in its mission to safeguard the trusted care that children rely on. We continue advocating for a resolution to ensure the location remains Golisano Health Center and are appreciative that so many in the community have shown that the Golisano Children’s Health Center of Naples is their location of choice to seek care for their families.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has not yet responded to inquiries about why the eviction notice was issued or what its plans are moving forward.
