Sending flowers to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital

Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood opened in 1992 and has grown twice since, in 2011 and 2022. It now has 216 beds and is a pediatric trauma center, run by the public Memorial Healthcare System and connected by hallway to Memorial Regional Hospital next door.

If you're about to order a bouquet for a child here, stop: the hospital does not allow flowers. Some of its patients have medical conditions that make flowers risky, so the rule applies across the hospital rather than unit by unit. The good news is that there are plenty of other ways to make a hospital room feel brighter for a kid.

What Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital allows

The hospital's visiting page is direct about it: because of the sensitive medical conditions of some patients, flowers are not allowed. We read that as a hospital-wide no, so a florist delivery is likely to be turned away, and the family may be left holding a vase they can't bring upstairs.

Balloons are allowed, with one condition. Only Mylar (foil) balloons are permitted, because latex can trigger allergies, and the hospital asks visitors not to bring latex balloons into the building at all. The hospital doesn't say anything about potted plants, but with flowers ruled out, we'd assume plants are out too unless a nurse tells you otherwise.

Based on the hospital's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

Where the delivery goes

Since flowers are out, think about what gets delivered instead: a Mylar balloon bouquet, a plush toy or a book the child can keep.

For any outside delivery, such as a toy or a balloon bouquet, include the child's full name, the hospital name and 1005 Joe DiMaggio Drive, Hollywood, FL 33021, plus a parent's name and your phone number. Parents and caregivers can be there 24 hours a day; other family and friends visit from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. For automated visiting information and directions, the hospital offers 954-265-7008. Pediatric stays can end quickly, so check with the parents before sending.

If flowers aren't an option

Good choices for a child in the hospital:

• A Mylar balloon with a favorite character or a get-well message
• A plush toy that's easy to wipe clean
• Picture books, activity books, crayons or a puzzle
• A card the child can keep, ideally with a photo of someone they miss

For a teen, a book, headphones or a gift card for an app or game may go over better than anything cute. Ask the parents about allergies and diet before sending candy.

What to send to a patient here

The best gift for a child in hospital is one that keeps them busy and reminds them they're loved. Keep it small enough to fit on a bed tray and simple enough to clean. If you really want to send flowers, wait and have them delivered to the family's home once the child is discharged, so the celebration happens there. For card ideas that work for kids, see what to write on the card, and for adults on the same campus, read Memorial Regional Hospital.

Sending somewhere else in Hollywood? See flower delivery in Hollywood for cutoff times and other local hospitals.