The Barbara's Friends Story

Not long ago, the closest treatment for children with cancer in Southwest Florida was in St. Petersburg or Miami. Barbara’s Friends has bridged that gap. We are dedicated to providing resources to fulfill the treatment and educational needs of our pediatric oncology and hematology patient population and their families at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.

Our goal is to keep families together and provide local treatment so that these families are able to keep some normalcy in their lives and allow parents to stay physically and emotionally close to their sick child. Barbara Haskell who lost her life at the young age of 32 to breast cancer is the inspiration and spirit behind her namesake, Barbara’s Friends. After a four-year battle with her illness, Barbara marveled at the bravery of children with cancer. She often wondered how they could cope with the treatments that were sometimes as difficult as the disease itself.

After her passing, her parents Betty and Frank Haskell helped make her wish to help children come true by establishing Barbara’s Friends — The Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund. The Barbara’s Friends rainbow logo comes from Barbara’s lifelong love of the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” and its memorable song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

The Children’s Hospital Cancer Center, is comprised of several units:

• Barbara’s Friends Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Outpatient Center
• Crissy Brown Pediatric Inpatient Cancer Unit
• Barbara’s Friends Pediatric Pharmacy
• Barbara’s Friends Medical Library
• Barbara’s Corner Playground
• Yawkey Children’s Counseling Center

Barbara’s Friends has also established an endowment fund for continuing support of the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Program at The Children’s Hospital. Barbara’s Friends receives no tax support and is entirely dependent on philanthropic funds to support the many pediatric oncology and hematology programs and services not reimbursed by public or private health insurance.