Houston Methodist Foundation Annual Report 2021 by Houston Methodist Professional Publications

2021

HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

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ANNUAL REPORT

C ON TEN TS LETTER FROM CEO

A LOOKBACK AT 2021

GIFT IN THE MAKING

ENDOWED CHAIRS

NEW CHAIRHOLDERS

TOP OF MIND

BECOMING PATIENTS

NEVER SAY CAN’T

PHYSICIAN TRAINING

DESTINATION KNOWN

RESTORING RESILIENCE

RELIABLE RESOURCES

BUNDLE OF BLESSINGS

THE PERFECT GIFT

BUILDING ON MOMENTUM

PRAYER AND MEDICINE

ON THE WAY TO HEALING

THE BEST LAID PLAN

A LEGACY VOYAGE

18 6 20 12 22

BIOENERGETICS RESEARCH 44 A SACRED SPACE

THE SOCIETY

TRI III

CELLULAR THERAPEUTICS

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

PHILANTHROPY DIGEST

YEAR IN REVIEW

28 16

58 LEADERSHIP LETTER FROM OUR CHAIR

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Community Support Helped Make 2021 a Year of Hope

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

The year 2021 certainly didn’t turn out as we had hoped in January. Declining cases of COVID-19 coupled with ever more widely available vaccines portended a return to normalcy, but that was before the Delta and Omicron variants threw a proverbial monkey wrench into things. Something that remained true to form was the incredible generosity of you, our benefactors, who didn’t let the pandemic deter you from investing in the future of medicine — at a near-record level, $98.6 million in 2021. One of Dr. Mary and Ron Neal’s first gifts to Houston Methodist came in 2014 when they completed the Emily Herrmann Chair in Cancer Research, named in memory of a beloved colleague of their friend and Houston Methodist board member, Rusty Walter. This chair was composed of gifts from 65 different donors. When the Neals met chairholder Dr. Jenny Chang, a meaningful friendship began. As you will read in these pages, the Neals honored Dr. Chang by elevating her to the highest possible chair, a Presidential Distinguished Chair — one of only 16 presidential chairs among 121 total chairs at Houston Methodist. Their transformational gift will establish three additional chairs as well as funds to support cancer research and the next generation of cancer researchers. It also brings a new name to our acclaimed cancer initiatives, the Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center. In addition to the Neals, we were honored by eight other benefactors who established chairs in 2021. These positions will help us recruit and retain the world’s leading experts in neurology, radiology, urology and transplantation research, among other fields. We look forward to sharing with you the groundbreaking discoveries and innovative patient treatments that these leaders will develop.

We are also grateful to the many supporters who give anonymously. One such benefactor established an innovative program in 2021 that will increase significantly the number of physician fellows at Houston Methodist. Fellows are doctors who have completed their residencies and are seeking advanced specialized training. Because of this generous gift, we will add four fellows over two years — which will help keep us at the forefront of leading medicine. We began the year thinking about COVID-19, and we ended 2021 the same way. Shortly before Thanksgiving, we administered our one-millionth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In December, we learned about the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant in the U.S. As we now know, the Omicron surge abated as quickly as it escalated, and we are hopeful for a true return to normal. However, no matter what the future brings, you can always count on Houston Methodist to be here for all your health care needs. That was our sacred promise to you more than 100 years ago, and we have not wavered from that commitment in the slightest.

MARC BOOM, MD PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER HOUSTON METHODIST

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2021 COVID-19

& MORE

January 13

Town Hall X Dr. Marc Boom hosts the first Town Hall of the year alongside Dr. H. Dirk Sostman and Roberta L. Schwartz. They address the rise and fall of COVID-19 cases in Houston and across the U.S., treatments and distribution of vaccines at Houston Methodist. February 3: Town Hall XI

February 13

The state of Texas is hit with a generational arctic blast, which creates an energy crisis across the state — 48.6% of its power grid went offline. Over 4.5 million Texans lost power, causing frozen and broken pipes. Thousands of people suffered carbon monoxide poisoning and hundreds died. Houston Methodist experienced staffing shortages and had no running water at several community hospitals.

February 22

The U.S. surpasses 500,000 deaths due to COVID-19, a grim milestone with the highest death toll to date. Houston Methodist has 37,454 cumulative patients who tested positive, with 14,904 COVID-19 patients hospitalized. Staffers administered 304,364 vaccines and 3,476 monoclonal antibody treatments, and 81% of employees had scheduled or received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

March 2

Houston is the nation’s first city to record every major variant of the novel coronavirus — many of which are more contagious than the original strain. “The numbers of the major variants we have identified in our large sequencing study are disquieting,” said Dr. James Musser, who leads the team at Houston Methodist that identified the new finding. “The genome data indicate that these important variants are now geographically widely distributed in the Houston metropolitan region.” Quoted in Houston Chronicle, WIRED and WebMD March 4: Town Hall XII

March 26

The Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center team performs a double lung transplant on a 33-year-old patient, Andrew Capen. The aspiring comic spent six months on an ECMO machine battling COVID-19. His story was featured on KPRC in Houston and ABC Big News 2 in Midland, detailing his battle that took him to hospitals in Corpus Christi and San Antonio before he was admitted to Houston Methodist.

March 31

Houston Methodist announces that all employees must be vaccinated against COVID-19, with an April 15 deadline for management and a June 7 deadline for all other employees. April 8: Town Hall XIII

May 5

Houston Methodist announces the purchase of 106 acres of land in Cypress to build its ninth community hospital in the Houston area, meeting the health care needs of the rapidly growing Hwy. 290 Corridor. The new hospital will be modeled after the comprehensive Houston Methodist West and Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospitals. It is master planned for 400 beds and multiple medical office buildings, along with sufficient acreage for growth and development. May 13: Town Hall XIV

May 21

Houston Methodist donates medical supplies to the Indian Doctors Association to help some of the cities in India hardest hit by COVID-19. Covered by KPRC-TV

May 25

Houston Methodist commits $2.47 million to 37 unique community agencies serving more than 55,000 people from throughout the Greater Houston area through a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund initiative. It awards 19 grants focused on healthy neighborhoods, nine on educational empowerment and 10 on economic empowerment programs. The fund was created to support underserved communities and people’s efforts to foster healthy neighborhoods, improve educational access, and cultivate employment and economic opportunities.

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

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June 10: Town Hall XV

July 21

August 20

Houston Methodist is the first hospital to confirm the first case of the COVID-19 Lambda variant in the state of Texas. In a broadcast interview on ABC, Dr. Wesley Long, medical director of diagnostic microbiology, noted the Delta variant was still the primary concern. COVID-19 cases double in one week at Houston Methodist.

Studies from Drs. Edward A. Graviss and Sonia Villapol are published detailing their investigations on demographics and COVID-19 risk factors and long-term effects from the virus. Dr. Graviss’ study is published in PLOS ONE, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and Dr. Villapol’s systematic review paper is published in medRxiv and Scientific Reports.

July 27

August 23

U.S. News & World Report announces Houston Methodist is named to its prestigious Honor Roll for the fifth time in its history and third year in a row. It is also named the No. 1 hospital in Texas for the tenth year in a row. Among the community hospitals, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is ranked No. 4 in Houston and No. 6 (three-way tie) in Texas.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives full approval to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 16 and older. Houston Methodist has 850 COVID-19 patients across the hospital system — 98% confirmed with the Delta variant.

August 12: Town Hall XVI

August 27

Houston Methodist kicks off a clinical pilot project to bring voice technology and natural language processing into exam rooms, patient beds and operating rooms, in hopes of improving the patient experience and decreasing physicians’ reliance on distracting note-taking recorders. A similar program for the operating room (OR) with Amazon Web Services is scheduled to be piloted, making Houston Methodist the first hospital to pilot this type of technology in the OR. September 2: Town Hall XVII

September 30

Dr. Anh Nguyen discusses the importance of COVID-19 vaccine boosters to all those eligible on KHOU-TV. Dr. Nguyen highlights the importance of the vaccine for pregnant women. October 19: Town Hall XVIII

October 29

The FDA authorizes the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include children ages 5 through 11. November 8: Town Hall XIX

November 19

Houston Methodist announces the renaming of its Cancer Center to the Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center in recognition of the couple’s $25 million philanthropic gift. Their transformational commitment will support critical areas, including translational research and physician-scientist recruitment and retention focused on pioneering new cancer treatments and expanding the Cancer Center’s impact within the Greater Houston community and beyond. December 9: Town Hall XX

December 27

Houston Methodist reports the fast-spreading Omicron variant accounts for 94% of its sequenced coronavirus cases, which causes unprecedented demand for tests.

December 30

Dr. John Cooke is interviewed by The Scientist to discuss how recent advances in mRNA vaccine technology could also help spur the development of mRNA vaccines for cancer. He also discusses how his work and the development of mRNA vaccines for cancer compares to those for COVID-19.

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The blue graph at the bottom represents the seven-day rolling average of positive COVID -19 cases.

GIFT 40 YEARS IN THE MAKING:

Neals Seek to End Cancer Scourge

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Supporters Ron Neal and Dr. Mary Neal

I N 1 9 8 0 , Dr. Mary Neal was completing a medical internship at Houston Methodist when she encountered a woman fighting metastatic breast cancer. The memory of that patient stayed with her, eventually leading Dr. Neal and her husband Ron Neal to make a transformational $25 million gift to support cancer initiatives at Houston Methodist. “When we were given the opportunity to do something philanthropic in cancer, it struck a chord with me because of that experience,” says Dr. Neal, a retired OB-GYN who volunteers at the San José Clinic to provide gynecological care to low-income women. “That patient died of her disease, but I remember her face. I remember everything about her.” The woman’s cancer was already advanced. The patient knew she would probably not survive but agreed to undergo an early type of immunotherapy. Unlike chemotherapy or radiation, which cause many painful side effects, immunotherapy seeks to harness the body’s own defenses against cancer. “I thought, ‘There is going to be a day when we don’t throw poison at patients — a day when we allow our own bodies to cure themselves,’” Dr. Neal says. More than 40 years later, Dr. Neal and her husband Ron Neal — a successful oil and gas entrepreneur — took a major step toward making a cancer-free future a reality. In 2021, they made one of the largest commitments ever given to Houston Methodist to support cancer research, education and patient care. In recognition of their commitment, Houston Methodist renamed its Cancer Center the Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center. houstonmethodist.org

Dr. Jenny Chang, Director of the Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

AT TA C K I N G C A N C E R O N A L L F R O N T S Houston Methodist’s oncologists and researchers attack cancer on all fronts through pioneering clinical investigations in immunotherapy, nanomedicine, gene therapy and drug repositioning. The goal — which Dr. Neal hoped for decades ago — is to develop personalized, targeted treatments that eliminate cancer without harming the body. “The Neals’ incredible generosity will accelerate cancer innovation at Houston Methodist,” says Dr. Jenny Chang, the Emily Herrmann Presidential Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research at Houston Methodist and director of the Neal Cancer Center. “We are marshalling a critical mass of expertise and resources that will ultimately deliver groundbreaking new therapies and give new hope to those with the most complex and treatmentresistant tumors.” The Neals say the hospital’s distinctive combination of innovative research and patientcentered care convinced them to back its war on cancer. “We wanted to know how we could help, and making this gift was the best way to do that,” says Ron Neal. Another deciding factor rested in their unfortunate familiarity with the independent academic medical center’s cancer care offerings. A close friend lived with them for two months while undergoing pancreatic cancer treatment at Houston Methodist. Although their friend ultimately lost his fight, the Neals share they were impressed by how his doctors and nurses accomplished more than trying to treat the condition; they cared for the whole person. “Other places also have good doctors and nurses and polished floors,” Ron Neal says. “But I’ve seen Houston Methodist’s front-line workers care for patients, and we believe that care and compassion separate them from everybody else.”

C O N N E C T I N G T H E D OT S The Neals’ connection with Houston Methodist began through their friendship with Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter, major Houston Methodist benefactors whom the Neals cite as philanthropic inspirations. Ron met Rusty through his business associations in oil and gas, and the two couples soon began socializing and vacationing together. In 2014, the Neals joined their friends and various benefactors to help establish a chair named in memory of Emily Herrmann, a business colleague and close friend of the Walters who died from cancer. Dr. Chang currently holds that chair, and the Neals became acquainted with her through this philanthropic connection. The husband-and-wife duo visited Dr. Chang in her lab to learn more about her work, which sparked their interest in her immunotherapy research. They say their confidence in her leadership and vision was instrumental in their philanthropic commitment to the Neal Cancer Center. “Jenny is such a smart, strong and inspirational leader,” Ron Neal says. “I really enjoy walking with great leadership. She is someone you would gladly follow.” Dr. Chang notes the Neals’ philanthropic backing may usher in a new era for the Neal Cancer Center by providing critical and strategic support on the journey to become a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center. The gold standard for cancer programs, the NCI designation will provide Houston Methodist with additional research funding and enhanced national prominence. For the Neals, beating cancer will take a sustained effort by many philanthropic visionaries. They hope to inspire others to join the fight against a disease that touches countless families. Most of all, they want to leave a legacy to their children about the importance of serving others through the sharing of time, talent and resources. “You can’t grab or take your way to happiness,” says Ron Neal. “You can only share and give your way to happiness.”

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W I T H T H E I R T R A N S F O R M AT I O N A L C O M M I T M E N T, D R . M A RY A N D R O N N E A L W I L L H E L P A C H I E V E T H E F O L LO W I N G OBJECTIVES: Attract Brilliance — Create new endowed positions to recruit and retain highly sought-after cancer experts who embody Houston Methodist’s focus on translational research. These leading physician-scientists will be as comfortable in a laboratory as they are in an exam room. Spur Innovation — Provide seed funding to support the most promising research projects that can impact cancer care. It will also fund research to repurpose existing FDA-approved drugs to treat cancer, such as Dr. Jenny Chang’s recently published study findings that indicate a drug used to treat cardiac failure shows promise in treating triple-negative breast cancer. Expand Clinical Trials — Add more clinical trials at both Houston Methodist’s flagship hospital and six community hospitals, where experimental new therapies are tested before receiving FDA approval. More Houston-area cancer patients will have access to the latest treatments before they are widely available. Train Future Oncologists — Educate and train young physician-scientists seeking a specialization in oncology, as well as create a new talent pool for pursuing creative ways to combat cancer.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

T H E N E A L S S AY the hospital’s distinctive combination of innovative research and patient-centered care convinced them to back its war on cancer. “Other places also have good doctors and nurses and polished floors,” Ron Neal says. “But I’ve seen Houston Methodist’s front-line workers care for patients, and we believe that care and compassion separate them from everybody else.” houstonmethodist.org

The Red Blood Cell Chair

Quetzal chair designed by Marc Venot, manufactured in Spain by Missana

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

About Endowed Chairs

Endowed chairs provide stable, long-term financial resources for the chairholder and a legacy for the benefactor or someone the benefactor chooses to honor. Those philanthropic investments will be held in perpetuity to fund research, education and patient care. They are powerful recruitment and retention tools that ensure the best and brightest medical minds are engaged in research and care at Houston Methodist. A type of endowed chair, Centennial Chairs were established by a $101 million gift from Paula and Rusty Walter in 2017 that recognized Houston Methodist’s century of service. A portion of this philanthropic commitment created the Walter Centennial Chair Challenge (C³) that helps support, recruit and retain the most brilliant physicians and scientists in the world. These endowed chairs are awarded to Houston Methodist’s most prestigious scientists and clinical faculty.

Herb and Jean Lyman Centennial Chair in Ophthalmology Supporters: HERB AND JEAN LYMAN

This Centennial Chair was established by Herb and Jean Lyman to support an endowed position in the Houston Methodist Department of Ophthalmology. This is the first chair established by the Lymans and the second chair established in the Department of Ophthalmology. The Lymans are dedicated to supporting eye health, and they both serve on the Houston Methodist Blanton Eye Institute Task Force. They are also Centennial Lifetime Members of The Society for Leading Medicine. The Lyman Chair has been awarded to Dr. Andrew G. Lee, whose research centers around optic nerve disorders with a focus on tumors of the optic nerve. He also has a deep interest in ophthalmic graduate medical education. Dr. Lee is chair of the Blanton Eye Institute, which specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of eye disorders and diseases and provides hospital-based eye care for the most challenging ophthalmic cases and procedures.

Gerald H. Dubin, MD Presidential Distinguished Centennial Chair in the Art of Medicine for the Center for Performing Arts Medicine Supporter: GERALD H. DUBIN, MD

Established by Dr. Gerald H. Dubin, this Centennial Chair will support a program to demonstrate the role that comedy and humor can play in the healing process. It also may boost the understanding of communication in establishing empathy and enhancing patient-physician alliances and patient outcomes. Dr. Dubin is a member of the Houston Methodist Center for Performing Arts Medicine’s Stasney Chorus and a Legacy Member of The Society for Leading Medicine. The Center for Performing Arts Medicine works toward effective and meaningful integration of the performing and visual arts into the hospital environment.

Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Chair of Surgery in Digestive Disorders Supporter: LYNDA K. UNDERWOOD

This newly created chair will support research, education, and clinical and scholarly activities required to sustain a world-class surgical gastroenterology program within the Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders at Houston Methodist. The Underwoods previously established the David M. Underwood Chair of Medicine in Digestive Disorders and the David M. Underwood Chair of Surgery in Digestive Disorders. Under the leadership of Dr. Eamonn Quigley and surgeon Dr. Wade Rosenberg, the Underwood Center develops comprehensive treatment programs for each patient ranging from simple lifestyle changes to advanced surgeries. Houston Methodist lost an honored friend and advocate when David Underwood Sr. passed away in 2015.

M.D. Anderson Foundation Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Imaging Supporters: ANONYMOUS DONOR AND HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

A portion of a generous gift from the M.D. Anderson Foundation in 2006, which supported work in molecular imaging, has now been combined with a matching gift from an anonymous donor to create a new endowed chair. Named in honor of the M.D. Anderson Foundation, the chairholder, Dr. Diego R. Martin, is leading a biomedical imaging initiative in the Department of Radiology and the Translational Imaging Center, a part of the Houston Methodist Research Institute. Dr. Martin’s goal at the Translational Imaging Center is to create a hub of research, discovery and innovation, through collaborative partnerships with other departments, institutions and industry, which can drive clinical care excellence using precision diagnostics and imaging-guided therapeutics for major diseases that affect both the society and world, with a focus on cancer early detection and cure. Selected Additional Chairs Created in 2021 Sherrie and Alan Conover Chair for Excellence in Transplant Research (see page 21) Emily Herrmann Presidential Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research (see page 9) Carol and Burt Keenan Chair for Excellence in Liver Transplantation Research (see page 20) Ben and Wendy Moreland Distinguished Chair in Urology (see page 28) The John M. O’Quinn Foundation Presidential Distinguished Chair in Neurology (see page 16)

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The generosity of Paula and Rusty Walter established the Walter Centennial Chair Challenge (C3), which ignited a powerful philanthropic response from many Houston visionaries that exceeded our expectations.

Siddhartha Ganguly, MD, FACP

Carol Cockrell Curran Distinguished Centennial Chair in Hematologic Oncology Dr. Ganguly is a faculty member of the Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center and professor of clinical oncology in the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. Dr. Ganguly is a board-certified hematologist specializing in the clinical care and research of hematological malignancies, cellular therapeutics and bone marrow transplantation, and he is a full member of the Houston Methodist Research Institute. Dr. Ganguly received his medical degree in India and completed his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology at Baylor College of Medicine. He concluded a second fellowship in bone marrow transplantation at the Baylor College of Medicine Center for Cell and Gene Therapy.

R. Mark Ghobrial, MD, PhD J.C. Walter Jr. Presidential Distinguished Chair in the J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center at Houston Methodist

Dr. Ghobrial is director of the J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center, director of the Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation, and director of Transplantation Research at Houston Methodist. He is also a professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. A primary goal of his research is to increase donor transplant acceptance and prolong the life of the transplanted organs in transplant recipients. His areas of expertise include hepatobiliary disorders, liver resection, liver disease, liver transplant and hepatocellular carcinoma. The addition of organ rejuvenation and regeneration to the immunobiology and clinical research programs will add significant strength to the transplant program at Houston Methodist, one the topMethodist transplant research endeavors in the country. Hospital Foundation 14 ofHouston

Zsolt Garami, MD

The Allison Family Centennial Chair in Cardiovascular Innovation I Dr. Garami is the medical director of the Vascular Ultrasound Lab at Houston Methodist and associate professor of clinical cardiovascular surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. He has a clinical background in radiology and received further specialization training in intracranial ultrasound in Europe and the U.S. In recent years, Dr. Garami has become a nationally recognized leader in transcranial doppler. His research focuses on understanding and treating intracranial flow disturbances that cause stroke resulting from emboli to the brain. He has numerous publications on monitoring the cerebral vasculature during vascular procedures, such as coronary artery bypass grafting and carotid artery surgery.

Muralidhar Hegde, PhD

Everett E. and Randee K. Bernal Centennial Chair for the Neurological Institute Dr. Hegde is a professor of Neurosurgery in the Houston Methodist Academic Institute and a full member of the Research Institute, where he directs a research program focused on delineating the role of genome damage/repair responses in human brain disorders (neurodegeneration, brain hemorrhage and injury) and cell proliferation (cancer) and on developing novel, mechanism-based treatment strategies. He is also a professor of neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and has over 90 peer-reviewed publications, including more than a dozen as a senior author. Dr. Hegde’s laboratory is interested in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease and stroke.

NEW CHAIRHOLDERS While department leaders are actively working to fill the open positions of endowed chairs with the most accomplished physicians, scientists and nurses, the eight positions filled in 2021 and described below represent an unprecedented collection of medical and scientific brilliance tackling the most pressing challenges of modern medicine. Through the generosity of the benefactors who established these endowed positions, these chairholders have a stable, long-term financial resource to support their research and education programs.

Andrew G. Lee, MD

Herb and Jean Lyman Centennial Chair in Ophthalmology Dr. Lee is chair of the Houston Methodist Blanton Eye Institute and a professor of ophthalmology, neurology and neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. His research focuses on the neuroophthalmic effects of space flight, optic nerve disorders and tumors of the optic nerve. Dr. Lee is a member of Baylor College of Medicine’s Center for Space Medicine and has been active and engaged in collaborative research to determine the etiology of Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome and any potential countermeasures that might be deployed as NASA prepares for future deep space exploration and proposed return visits to the moon, the asteroid belt and a planned manned mission to Mars.

Henry J. Pownall, PhD

Sanford I. Weill and Antonio M. Gotto Jr., MD Centennial Directorship in Translational Biomedical Sciences Education As a professor of bioenergetics and a full member of the Houston Methodist Academic Institute, Dr. Pownall’s studies encompass multiple aspects of lipid metabolism. A major goal of his research is to determine how different forms of cholesterol carried in blood by the plasma lipoproteins contribute to multiple pathologies — cardiovascular disease, blood cell abnormalities and human fertility. His multidisciplinary research includes collaboration with structural biologists, endocrinologists and X-ray crystallographers. Dr. Pownall is a member of the Weill Cornell Graduate School and teaches classes and serves on graduate advisory and qualifying exams committees at multiple institutions. Nationally, he is a standing member of a National Institutes of Health Scientific Review Committee.

Diego R. Martin, MD, PhD M.D. Anderson Foundation Distinguished Chair in Molecular Imaging

Dr. Martin is chair of radiology in the Houston Methodist Department of Radiology and a professor of radiology at Weill Cornell Medical College. He is internationally known for his work in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly as it relates to improving the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders. His research has focused on providing a quantitative imaging virtual biopsy of diseased tissues, minimizing the need for invasive testing and for improving cost-effective precision diagnostics as a platform for precision medicine. He currently serves as chair and director of Education for Body MRI at the American College of Radiology Learning Center and the Continuous Professional Improvement Program.

Gail M. Vozzella, MSN, RN, NEA-BC

Crowning Achievement Centennial Chair in Nursing Excellence Gail M. Vozzella is chief nursing executive and senior vice president at Houston Methodist Hospital. She previously served as the associate chief nursing officer and vice president of nursing at Texas Children’s Hospital. Vozzella began her 37-year career in nursing in 1985 after earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Boston College. In May 2022, Gail achieved her doctoral degree in nursing practice from The University of Texas, Cizik School of Nursing. Since joining Houston Methodist one year ago, Gail has started a nurse science fellowship program, furthered enhanced nursing education and focused on enhancing pipelines for a consistently high-achieving nursing workforce. Her future plans include partnering with the Houston Methodist Research Institute and the Center for Innovation to implement technology to better support front-line nurses in patient care. houstonmethodist.org

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

The John M. O’Quinn Foundation trustees work jointly to generously support quality health care and education projects across Greater Houston. Their bold vision is to provide the seed money to ensure Houston has the nation’s No. 1 health care facilities. “Our trustees believe this great city has exceptional health care,” says Rob Wilson III, president of The John M. O’Quinn Foundation. “We invest philanthropically to ensure we stay current with the latest research and treatments — and to attract the top physician-scientists to the region.” The John M. O’Quinn Foundation Presidential Distinguished Chair in Neurology, funded by the foundation in 2021, aims to do just that: attract an exceptional physician-scientist to lead the Department of Neurology within the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute.

“We would love to see treatments and cures for mental health challenges, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other diseases that impact circles well beyond the individual patient,” Wilson elaborates. “Mental health and the brain were very important to Mr. O’Quinn, and now the trustees of the foundation carry on his vision.” The O’Quinn Foundation was formed in 1985, and John O’Quinn shifted his focus toward making major gifts in 2002. “Seeing the good his name is doing all over town means so much to the trustees,” Wilson says. “Any time the foundation makes a significant gift, his name goes on that gift. That means a great deal to us.” The John M. O’Quinn Foundation trustees consider it an honor to have the opportunity to give Houston Methodist leaders what they need to carry them to the next level in neurology.

TOP OF MIND: GIFT AIMS TO RECRUIT TALENTED NEUROLOGY LEADER “We are new in supporting this field, but we immediately saw the potential,” Wilson says. “With the legendary Dr. Stanley Appel moving to a different role at Houston Methodist, the opportunity to support finding his replacement was well received by the trustees. Everyone was in the right place at the right time, and we were interested in making this happen.” Funding for a distinguished presidential endowed chair makes a significant difference in the caliber of individual recruited for a critical leadership role, allowing the hospital to pursue the world’s best in the field — in this case, neurology. With the brain as the last frontier for understanding the human body, Wilson says research in this area is near and dear to the O’Quinn Foundation team’s hearts.

“We are big fans of Dr. Marc Boom,” says Wilson. “With his leadership, Houston Methodist has done an incredible job, particularly in dealing with COVID-19 and all its implications.” Wilson says the investment in attracting one of the best neurology leaders in the world to Houston Methodist will pay dividends in the future. “Houston Methodist has the leadership, the professionalism, the physicians and nurses, the valet staff, the cafeteria workers — the whole package to present to a patient or family,” Wilson says. “You can see the quality everywhere you look. The O’Quinn Foundation trustees believe Houston’s health care facilities provide the best care anywhere, and we are proud to support and enhance those efforts.”

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BECOMING PATIENTS

FRIENDSHIP SPARKS LIFESAVING TREATMENT

Doug Quinn was looking to fill his dinner table at a charity auction in 2011 when he felt inspired to give half the seats away to the American Heart Association. That decision not only changed his friendship circle forever, but it also led to a lifesaving relationship between his wife, Wendy, and a Houston Methodist physician, as well as a philanthropic commitment to battle the condition that almost took her life. That night, Doug immediately befriended his dining companions, Dr. Miguel A. Quiñones, the Winters Family Distinguished Centennial Chair in Cardiovascular Education, and his wife Maria. “We had a lot of things in common,” Doug recalls. “It started with the fact that my son’s name is Patrick Quinn and their grandson is named Patrick Quinn Kelly.” Later, Doug met Wendy and got married. The two couples held monthly dinners together, and the Quinns learned about the groundbreaking cardiovascular research Dr. Quiñones was conducting. Motivated by his friend’s work, Doug joined the Houston Methodist Heart Council and volunteered his time and talents to the hospital’s cardiovascular initiatives. Fast-forward a couple years, and the Quinns, now more connected with Houston Methodist, attended a hospital-sponsored golfing event in Aspen, Colorado. There, they met and befriended Dr. Gavin W. Britz, the Candy and Tom Knudson Distinguished Centennial Chair in Neurosurgery and

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

director of the Neurological Institute. Their Houston Methodist friendship circle expanded. In 2017, Wendy began feeling a dull, persistent back pain that over-the-counter medicines could not shake. She struggled to find the cause of her pain, visiting one doctor after another. No one could solve the mystery. Finally, she made an appointment with an orthopedist at Houston Methodist, who correctly suspected Wendy had cancer in her spine. He referred her to her friend, neurosurgeon Dr. Britz. Dr. Britz was traveling abroad at the time, but he returned to Houston quickly to assess Wendy’s tumor. Unfortunately, it was inside the spinal cord and inoperable. Dr. Britz referred Wendy to his colleague, Dr. Ivo W. Tremont, a Houston Methodist neuro-oncologist for cancer care. As Dr. Tremont studied Wendy’s tumor, he learned it was an incredibly rare cancer. Wendy’s medical team initially estimated she had only six months to live. Nearly five years later, Wendy and Doug continue to fight her cancer together and challenge the odds. They felt the time was right to make a large philanthropic commitment to Houston Methodist to battle neuro-oncological tumors. After consulting carefully with their friends at Houston Methodist, the Quinns decided their gift would make the biggest impact divided evenly among three funds:

the Center for Translational Neural Prosthetics and Interfaces, the Quiñones Academic Fund, and the newly established Quinn & Zeng Foundation Neuro-Oncology Fund. The Quinns have supported many Houston Methodist initiatives over the years, but this recent gift signifies their commitment to neuroprosthetics, neuro-oncology and cardiovascular academic excellence. Most importantly, the gift creates the Quinn & Zeng Foundation Neuro-Oncology Fund, establishing a legacy for the husband-and-wife team and illustrating their desire to improve prognoses and outcomes for future patients with rare spinal tumors and other neuro-oncological diseases. The Quinn’s story demonstrates the power that friendships can have to inspire action. That one fateful evening when new friendships first blossomed inspired lifesaving connections and a legacy of time, talent and treasures. “My cancer has returned,” says Wendy. “It is spreading into the brain and bone, something the doctors have never seen before. I’m undergoing radiation now. We hope that, with our gift, the doctors will learn more about this cancer and share their discoveries, eventually helping more patients.” “Even if the treatment doesn’t work for Wendy, at least the doctors will know to try a different approach next time,” says Doug. “If anyone else is diagnosed with this cancer 10 years from now, we hope the oncologists will know how to treat it.”

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NEVER SAY CAN’T REMARKABLE PERSON INSPIRES GIFTS TO TRANSPLANT CHAIR Can’t was absent from Burt Keenan’s lexicon. When the businessman and competitive sailor was sent home by another hospital in 2005 after being told there was no hope for his failing cancerous liver, he searched for a different answer. “Most people would have given up, but that wasn’t Burt Keenan,” says Al Gonsoulin, Mr. Keenan’s close friend. “Not everybody can do what he did. He was so persistent. He didn’t really know the definition of can’t. It wasn’t in his vocabulary.”

Burt Keenan

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Mr. Keenan found his answer — and a second chance at life — through a 2008 liver transplantation that marked one of the first transplants for his form of liver cancer, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Mr. Keenan received his transplant at UCLA, where Dr. R. Mark Ghobrial started his career. The physician’s practice moved, as did the patient’s care, to Houston Methodist in March 2008, where Dr. Ghobrial currently serves

as the J.C. Walter Jr. Presidential Distinguished Chair and director of the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center. For years, Mr. Keenan supported Dr. Ghobrial and his team by providing leadership and resources for their innovative work. Following Mr. Keenan’s passing in April 2021, friends and family made gifts to establish a chair honoring his memory: the Carol and Burt Keenan Chair for Excellence in Liver Transplantation Research. When combined with gifts from other contributors, including the Carole Walter and C. James Looke III Transplant Matching Fund, the Keenan Chair will become a transformative endowment in the Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation. Endowed support helps recruit and retain talented physicians and researchers. It also fosters an environment where physician-scientists can impact patient care more swiftly. Those who knew Mr. Keenan share he was keen on supporting transplant research and clinical care efforts based on his own patient experience. “This chair and the research it will make possible were so important to him,” says Mr. Gonsoulin. “Burt Keenan wanted to give hope to other people.” Mr. Keenan served as an original member of the Liver Center Task Force at Houston Methodist. As generous benefactors of the annual Carol & Burt Keenan Liver Symposium, Mr. Keenan and his wife Carol Keenan also dedicated themselves to educating the community on liver cancer treatment advances. Dr. Ghobrial remembers his patient fondly. “All my transplant patients are inspiring, and Burt Keenan was amazing,” says Dr. Ghobrial. “Not long before his liver was transplanted, he marked over 30 years of significant ocean racing by winning the 2007 Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race.” “His spirit and positive attitude were second to none,” Dr. Ghobrial adds. “That is our inspiration for his chair.”

Sherrie and Alan Conover

Patient Tribute Gift Energizes Transplant Research Alan Conover was a man of action. A U.S. Navy veteran, New York state firefighter and ordained church elder with an affinity for train travel, Mr. Conover spent his life energetically serving others. Family and friends say the Sherrie and Alan Conover Chair for Excellence in Transplant Research is a perfect tribute to Mr. Conover. “Alan loved life and people,” says his wife Sherrie Conover. “After his liver transplant saved him, we wanted to help other patients and show our gratitude to Houston Methodist for the outstanding care he received.” In the years following his 2013 liver transplant at the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center until his passing in 2020, Mr. Conover and his wife made gifts to the Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation. In 2017, the Conovers established the Sherrie and Alan Conover Chair for Excellence in Liver Transplantation. It honors Dr. R. Mark Ghobrial, the J.C. Walter Jr. Presidential Distinguished Chair at Houston Methodist and the director of the Transplant Center. The Sherrie and Alan Conover Chair for Excellence in Transplant Research was established in 2021 to focus on liver transplant research that benefits patients. “The impact that Sherrie and Alan Conover have on liver transplant patients is extraordinary,” says Dr. Ghobrial. “This new chair will recruit the top talent needed to offer next-generation research.”

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A patient who receives a cancer diagnosis needs a skilled oncologist to guide treatment. Someone facing an open-heart operation seeks an accomplished cardiovascular surgeon, while a person with a debilitating digestive disorder calls for a talented gastroenterologist to find the root of the problem. In all those cases, patients need a specialist — a physician who completed a fellowship that provides advanced specialty training for specific conditions. Prestigious fellowship programs cultivate the brightest young medical talent while also building unparalleled expertise, allowing academic medical centers like Houston Methodist to provide innovative specialty care not available elsewhere. “Fellowship programs bring to Houston Methodist the best physicians, those who want to become academic and clinical leaders,” says Dr. H. Dirk Sostman, the Ernest Cockrell, Jr. Presidential Distinguished Chair, president of the Academic Institute and chief academic officer at Houston Methodist. “However, graduate medical training is costly, and fellowships especially so.”

Many of these future medical leaders who complete their fellowships at Houston Methodist ultimately stay in the Houston area, Dr. Boone says, either by joining the Houston Methodist faculty or in private practice. Those who move elsewhere become invaluable ambassadors for Houston Methodist, boosting the hospital’s reputation in elite medical circles nationwide. “Graduating outstanding fellows is more effective than any marketing or advertising we can do,” Dr. Boone says. “They speak highly of Houston Methodist wherever they go.” After completing four years of medical school, a new doctor will complete three to seven years in a residency program learning and practicing in a chosen specialty. Many begin their own practices after residency, but others pursue additional specialty training through a fellowship program that ranges from one to three years. In a fellowship, physicians hone their skills and deepen their knowledge in a subspecialty of their field by practicing and studying under distinguished clinicians and scientists. Through clinical rotations and scholarly activity,

ANONYMOUS GIFT BOOSTS ADVANCED PHYSICIAN TRAINING PROGRAMS In 2021, the generosity of an anonymous benefactor helped make it possible to expand these vital highly specialized physician training programs at Houston Methodist. This gift, establishing the Leading Medicine Academic Fellows Program, created four new fellowship positions in three programs — two in gastroenterology, one in hematology-oncology and one in neurological spine surgery. The gift brings Houston Methodist closer to its goal of having 50 additional fellowship positions by 2030, Dr. Sostman says. As president of the Houston Methodist Academic Institute, he oversees the hospital’s research and graduate education programs. Fellowships are highly competitive, with the best of the best vying for these coveted slots, according to Dr. Timothy B. Boone, the Craig C. Brown and Suzanne H. Smith Centennial Chair in Medical Education at Houston Methodist. As director of the Education Institute within the Houston Methodist Academic Institute, Dr. Boone leads the hospital’s residency and fellowship programs.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

they tackle the most complex cases, utilize the latest techniques and publish peer-reviewed research that can lead to better treatments. With the rising demand for high-quality specialty care, residency and fellowship program directors across the country look to expand their programs. Philanthropic support, like this gift from the anonymous donor, will be key in helping Houston Methodist keep pace with the community’s — and the world’s — evolving health care needs, as well as Houston Methodist’s ability to attract additional brilliance into the Houston area, Dr. Boone says. While at Houston Methodist, fellows enhance the quality of care. As a urology faculty member who has mentored fellows for 20 years, Dr. Boone appreciates their commitment to excellence as they work together with hospital faculty to treat patients and train residents. “It is not only an honor to teach them, but they also make you better as a physician,” Dr. Boone says. “They’ve made me better.”

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DESTINATION KNOWN: Retired oilfield services businessman Terry Hall says he and his wife, Henri, travel quite a bit among their residences in New Mexico, Houston and Louisiana. But one thing keeps them coming back to Houston and inspired them to make a major gift to support its future: the quality health care they receive at Houston Methodist. Hall says he heard a myriad of praise about Houston Methodist for years. Then, saddled with a difficult-to-treat staph infection after undergoing an orthopedic surgery in Santa Fe, he reached out to some friends who arranged for him to come to Houston Methodist for treatment. Hall met orthopedic surgeon Dr. Shari Liberman after being admitted to the hospital. After several interactions and telling her he didn’t have a primary care physician, he recalls she offered to be his doctor. “We were getting older and realized we needed to have relationships with first-class health care providers,” says Hall. “Houston Methodist was the perfect fit.” When Henri jumped off her horse and broke her ankle, that new connection paved the way for her to meet Dr. Kevin Varner, chair of the department of orthopedic surgery, who oversaw her care and treatment.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

AVID TRAVELERS SEEK CARE, MAKE ORTHOPEDICS GIFT IN HOUSTON

“We were very lucky that Houston Methodist opened these doors for us,” she says. “Had we not had this relationship, we would’ve been in a bind. I love the medical staff and all the people we’ve met there. It has been wonderful.” Their admiration led them to establish the Henrietta and Terence Hall Distinguished Centennial Chair in Orthopedic Surgery, a position held by Dr. Liberman. “It was out of gratitude and respect for the institution,” Terry says. “The quality of the care and the people and the systems seemed top-notch, and we wanted to support Houston Methodist.” The Halls’ endowment is a blended gift of current-use funds and planned giving. Terry says: “When considering giving through estate planning, if you’re blessed

Terence and Henrietta Hall

enough to have something to give, you wonder: ‘Where would my gift best be placed?’” Their answer was Houston Methodist. As the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program director and the department’s vice chair of education, Dr. Liberman says she uses proceeds from the endowment to teach residents and fellows how to be exceptional doctors and surgeons, take good care of patients and feel pride in their work. “The Halls are my heroes,” Dr. Liberman says. “They have been very generous. Their endowment will make this a top-tier place to train residents and fellows. Their gift will elevate our status in the world of orthopedics and help us continue to attract the best candidates to apply to our program.” Terry says he was surprised at the time to learn there was only one endowed chair in orthopedics, and he hopes others will consider endowing orthopedics chairs. “It’s a diverse department that treats more than just elbows, shoulders and hands,” he says. “There are a lot of places in this country where people don’t have access to a facility like Houston Methodist, and they need those of us who can to get behind it with our support.”

HOUSTON

TEXANS Houston Texans Bolster Outreach Efforts to Student Athletes In 2021, the Houston Texans Foundation generously committed to strengthen student athlete outreach programs with philanthropic funding for the next six years. These initiatives in partnership with Houston Methodist include: • Houston Texans Scholars Program, which offers intensive training in advanced sports medicine for the best and brightest orthopedic surgeons • Student physicals for young athletes at schools in and around Houston • Concussion Center Community Outreach to educate the public about concussion prevention, awareness and treatment • Houston Methodist Concussion Center’s Telemedicine and Virtual Care assessments for student athletes with concussions in rural areas, with advice on treatment and returning to play • Houston Methodist Outreach Athletic Training Program provides education for athletic trainers and sports equipment for children and schools in need This support from the Houston Texans Foundation allows us to continue to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of young athletes in rural areas for years to come. houstonmethodist.org

NEW EMPLOYEE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC MAKES ACCESSIBILITY REAL The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on front-line health care workers, and the Houston Methodist Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health responded last fall by opening an innovative behavioral health clinic for all hospital employees and their families. A major gift from the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation at year end could make it a game changer. “Our front-line physicians, employees and their families have been struggling,” says Dr. Benjamin Weinstein, the C. James and Carole Walter Looke Presidential Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Behavioral Health and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. “We realized they lacked easy access to behavioral health care that has been sorely needed these past two years.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

RESTORING We wanted to do a better job of caring for them.” Many mental health professionals do not take insurance, with the wait to see someone months long. These factors increase the likelihood of someone having a traumatic episode, according to Dr. Weinstein. “If you are having a mental health crisis, you need help now — not in three months,” he says. Dr. Weinstein and vice chair Dr. Alok Madan, the John S. Dunn Foundation Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Behavioral Health, are leading the clinic that helps

employees and their families overcome the extreme challenges of an enduring health care crisis. The Chao Foundation’s gift will help support the clinic’s viability and growth. “We’re building an employee mental health infrastructure from scratch and trying to have it be evidence-based and best in class,” says Dr. Madan. “We have a huge, diverse group of behavioral health colleagues who say they find this work some of the most meaningful work they do.” Dr. Susan Miller, the John S. Dunn, Sr. Research Chair in General

RESILIENCE Internal Medicine and director of the Chao International Medical Ethics Program at Houston Methodist, notes the Chao Foundation wanted to invest in a sustainable model for both health care teams and their families. “The program and its goals resonated strongly with the Chao family,” says Dr. Miller. “We talked about the patient care barriers during COVID-19 and the stress and distress our health care team were experiencing. It was affecting their ability to find joy in their careers, and it was impacting their families.”

The Chao Foundation’s gift also allows a researcher to dedicate time toward measuring the clinic’s impact, a feat Dr. Miller says is important. “We want to capture data to understand how this program can help employees maintain or recapture their resilience,” she says. “If you have resilient medical teams, then we can bring our own healing to the bedside. We are trying to understand how to have a therapeutic and healing interface that works effectively.” Dr. Weinstein notes this behavioral health clinic may be the first of its kind

in the U.S., and services include individual and group sessions offered in-person and virtually. “As far as we know, there is not another program like this anywhere,” says Dr. Weinstein. “The service is completely free to all Houston Methodist health care personnel and their families through their medical insurance coverage.” James Chao, speaking on behalf of his family, shares Dr. Weinstein’s, Dr. Madan’s and Dr. Miller’s goal of finding meaningful ways to care for health care providers and their families. “Our hope is, through this program, we can make a discovery in psychology that will lead the way in making a permanent change to fortify health care workers,” says James Chao. Houston Methodist remains eternally grateful to the Chao family for its ongoing advocacy and support of more than two decades. houstonmethodist.org

When people receive a life-changing diagnosis — or any medical news — they want to learn more about their ailments and determine their treatment options. To find this information, most people turn to a convenient source: the internet. In the minds of Ben and Wendy Moreland, those researching a condition should have the ability to access informative videos from the experts at Houston Methodist. “Right now, quality health care content on the internet comes from the Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic. Why can’t it come from Houston Methodist?” asks Ben Moreland, a member on the Houston Methodist Urology Task Force. To that end, the Morelands established the Moreland Education Programs in Urology and Breast Cancer. The programs serve a dual purpose: supply reliable health care content to all internet users and provide continuing training opportunities to health care professionals.

Reliable Resources COUPLE AIMS TO EXPAND HOUSTON METHODIST’S INTERNET PRESENCE FOR PATIENT, PHYSICIAN BENEFIT

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Physicians and researchers in both urology and breast cancer will have the chance to create videos on dedicated YouTube channels. Ben Moreland envisions some of these videos as existing content, such as speeches or lectures, that are repurposed and uploaded to YouTube. These videos also may help boost the national profile of Houston Methodist and serve as an investment in the independent academic medical center’s reputation, according to the Morelands. Since other nationally recognized peer medical institutions have their own videos and channels that show up on search results, Houston Methodist’s increased internet presence will expand its reach. “Houston Methodist is a top-tier institution, and we’re trying to serve the city and the state even more than what we’ve done before,” says Ben Moreland, who also serves on the Houston Methodist Board of Directors and the Houston Methodist Academic Institute Board.

“One of the ways to do that is to have a larger presence on the internet, specifically around patient education, so people can be exposed to what Houston Methodist has to offer.” The educational aspect of these videos — both in terms of informing the public and allowing physicians to access peer-to-peer resources — appealed to the Morelands. “Ben and I have used education as one of the founding pillars of our giving,” says Wendy Moreland, who is also a member of the Houston Methodist Urology Task Force. “These programs fell right into that category because they educate those searching for information and those looking for ways to stay updated on the latest medical advances.” The Morelands’ commitment also includes a matching aspect. Benefactors interested in extending

Houston Methodist’s expertise to avid Googlers can make a gift, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar. It doubles the gift’s impact. “I think it’s compelling for a donor to realize that someone else has already matched their gift,” says Ben Moreland. “If they put up $100 and know someone is going to match that $100, that’s inspiring.” As part of their 2021 commitment, the Morelands also established the Ben and Wendy Moreland Distinguished Chair in Urology. The chair will help attract and retain the best talent, the couple shares. For the Morelands, the gift acts as another way to serve their community. “It’s a little bit of walking around money for the department to use to drive their mission,” says Ben Moreland. “The leaders in the Department of Urology can help bring in the best people to help care for those in Houston and beyond. It’s a thank you to them.”

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BUNDLE of BLESSINGS LOOKE GIFT HONORS LEADERSHIP, PLATINUM PATIENT SERVICES, INFECTIOUS DISEASES RESEARCH Carole Walter Looke and Jim Looke, two of Houston Methodist’s longest-standing benefactors, were reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic. They wanted to encourage evidence-based science and pay tribute to those who have kept the public well. They decided to make a 2021 gift to Houston Methodist that served three purposes: honor Houston Methodist’s leadership, reward Platinum Patient Services employees and enable top physician-scientists to battle future pandemics through research. “I’m proud of my family’s decadeslong relationship with Houston Methodist,” says Carole Walter Looke. “They have been there for us, so we want to be there for them. We watched Houston Methodist leaders and front-line workers persevere during the pandemic. We wanted to say, ‘thank you.’” The Looke couple’s 2021 gift was made in honor of some of Houston Methodist’s top leaders, including Dr. Marc L. Boom, Houston Methodist president and CEO; Roberta L. Schwartz, executive vice president and chief innovation officer; Alice Baker, director of Platinum Patient Services; and Susan Coulter, Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation president and CEO. It sponsors memberships in The Society for Leading Medicine, Houston Methodist’s annual giving society, for all members of the Platinum team.

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“It was important to us that this gift thanked and acknowledged the tremendous efforts of those at Houston Methodist who cared for patients over the past two years,” says Carole Looke. When Platinum team members received news of their Society memberships, they were thrilled. “This gift is among the most thoughtful, generous gifts I have received in my 30-year health care career,” says Christian Cardenas Silva. The couple also wanted to acknowledge and support the physicians and scientists who provided cuttingedge treatments and prevention strategies during the pandemic. Their gift helps physician-scientists target two scientific technologies that experienced advances because of the COVID-19 pandemic: RNA therapeutics and monoclonal antibody therapy. These technologies have received enhanced publicity throughout the pandemic, and this gift will enable the physician-scientists involved to take these advances in novel directions. Center for RNA Therapeutics Vaccines to combat COVID-19 are a medical marvel, brought to market with record safety, effectiveness and speed. Still, the RNA technology can improve.

Dr. John P. Cooke, the Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter and Carole Walter Looke Presidential Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Disease Research and medical director for the Houston Methodist Center for RNA Therapeutics, works with his team to advance this type of therapy. The first-generation COVID-19 vaccines used a linear piece of mRNA to send instructions to the immune system and encourage an immune response. Dr. Cooke and his team’s second-generation vaccines will use a circular form of mRNA, which is more stable, providing the immune system with additional time to read and react to the instructions. Thus, a circular mRNA vaccine could provide immunity in one shot, which may attract more people to get vaccinated. These mRNA therapeutic advances will have applications for a variety of diseases — from other infectious diseases, to cancers, to heart failure and aging. Antibody Discovery & Acceleration of Protein Therapeutics (ADAPT) ADAPT is a new program that will use state-of-the-art science to rapidly identify lifesaving human monoclonal antibodies that neutralize new SARS-CoV-2 variants as soon as they arise. The new antibodies can be developed into future therapeutics and coupled with the successful SARSCoV-2 genome sequencing occurring at Houston Methodist. There is no other program like ADAPT in the world.

“ADAPT is powerful, cuttingedge translational science,” says Dr. Jim Musser, the Fondren Presidential Distinguished Chair in the Houston Methodist Research Institute, professor of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, and director of the Center for Molecular & Translational Human Infectious Diseases Research. “I can’t overstate how excited we are to lead this project. Mr. and Mrs. Looke’s gift will push this initiative forward.” *** Prior gifts from the Lookes have established the C. James & Carole Walter Looke Family Pavilion in Walter Tower (Looke 21) — a premium in-patient unit designed to combine the best medical care with luxurious amenities and top-tier patient services — as well as the Looke Sanctuary, also in Walter Tower, which serves as an in-hospital refuge for patients and physicians alike to be in the presence of God. Currently, the Looke family sponsors two fundraising challenges: the Looke Cancer Matching Fund and the Looke Transplant Matching Fund. They also established the C. James and Carole Walter Looke Presidential Distinguished Centennial Chair in Behavioral Health, held by Dr. Benjamin Weinstein since 2018.

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

THE PERFECT GIFT COUPLE COMMEMORATES MILESTONES WITH PHILANTHROPY It’s an age-old question: What do you give the person who already has everything? For college sweethearts and longtime philanthropists Janet and Ernie Cockrell, the answer was simple: Do something for others. “It started in 2019 when I asked Ernie what he wanted for Christmas,” says Janet. “He said he wanted nothing, so I asked again. He suggested giving his present to a charity. Then I called Houston Methodist.” Janet knew Houston Methodist would be a meaningful choice. Ernie is a Life Member of the hospital’s Board of Directors and founding chair of the Houston Methodist Research Institute, which houses the Virginia and Ernest Cockrell Jr. Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics (CCAT), named for Ernie’s parents. Ernie enjoyed his Christmas gift so much that Janet made a second

gift several months later to celebrate their 52nd wedding anniversary. Two months later she made another gift, in honor of Ernie’s birthday, and then another Christmas gift. “We both get a lot of enjoyment out of it,” says Ernie. “We give in honor of one another, and these gifts satisfy the need to give each other a physical present.” Originally named only for Ernie, Janet acquiesced in 2021 and agreed upon a new name: the Janet and Ernest H. Cockrell Distinguished Award in Translational Research. Now Ernie also initiates personal gifts in honor of Janet to support this endowed fund that benefits clinical trial nurses often caring for seriously ill patients. “The Cockrells’ support of clinical trial nurses is incredibly significant,”

says Pauline Todd, the system director of research in the CCAT. “These nurses have been on the front lines of COVID-19 working day and night with some of the sickest patients. Since clinical trials typically take place behind the scenes, they can be overlooked.” Native Houstonians, the Cockrells met at The University of Texas at Austin in 1963 and married after graduating. They returned to Houston to raise their family, and they have always lived their lives with faith and a servant’s heart. “Ernie and I believe that giving back is a joyous act,” says Janet. “We hope to continue sharing that philosophy through celebrating our special occasions with gifts helping others at Houston Methodist.”

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BUILDING ON MOMENTUM: PROLIFIC PHILANTHROPISTS SUPPORT RESEARCH, TRANSFORMATIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Whether supporting research breakthroughs or building a pipeline to train the next generation of skilled workers, Elaine and Marvy Finger continue to marshal their resources to strengthen Houston. For more than a decade, the couple has supported visionary research at Houston Methodist. They direct much of their philanthropy in support of Dr. Dale Hamilton, who created the Center for Bioenergetics in 2013 and has held the Elaine and Marvy A. Finger Distinguished Chair for Translational Research in Metabolic Disorders since 2014. “Dr. Hamilton was my physician, and he became my friend,” says Marvy Finger. “It was natural for us to support his endeavors. Along with Dr. Hamilton’s intellectual ability, his enthusiasm and dedication are contagious. It’s exciting.” They recently established two research funds in the Center for Bioenergetics: the Elaine and Marvy Finger Unparalleled Research Endowment and the Elaine and Marvy Finger Unparalleled Research Fund. The Fingers’ gift to the Elaine and Marvy Finger Unparalleled Research Endowment was doubled due to a 1:1 match from an anonymous donor through the Inspire Fund Challenge.

Inside the Center for Bioenergetics, Dr. Hamilton and his team focus on the mysteries of bioenergetics and the role energy transfer plays in everything from aging and heart failure to diabetes and other metabolic disorders to neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. They coordinate their research with scientists around the world, leading to a melting pot of ideas working toward a common goal — all with the help of the Marvy Finger Family Foundation. The Center for Bioenergetics was a natural evolution for Dr. Hamilton, who has studied ways to identify mechanisms of energy transduction in altered states since 2006. He cites Elaine and Marvy Finger as integral to the center’s growth and success. “Support from the Marvy Finger Family Foundation and Elaine and Marvy Finger has facilitated my transition into pursuing translational research and developing the Center for Bioenergetics, which provides a platform for interdisciplinary research to address prevalent health challenges,” says Dr. Hamilton. “Now, with additional support, the opportunity for growth into new dimensions has become possible. I am proud and thankful for the ongoing interest and support for this unique transition.”

Elaine and Marvy Finger support Dr. Dale Hamilton’s visionary research.

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THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

allows the young scholars to see they can be successful in careers they truly enjoy.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

FINGER’S DAD MODELED HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE IN NEED In collaboration with Marvy and Elaine, Houston Methodist also established the Marvy Finger Family Internship Program at Houston Methodist, which provides local community college students with an opportunity to supplement their learning through paid summer internships. The scholars receive $6,000 stipends, thanks to gifts from many generous benefactors. The program began in 2021 with four Finger Scholars who completed 10-week internships focused on research. “Every one of them talked about how memorable it was to be in that atmosphere,” says Elaine Finger, adding that some interns say Houston Methodist is the “crème de la crème” of hospitals. “They all felt like they were someone — that they were special. That was the most meaningful aspect of the whole internship for them.” The scholars are part of the Marvy Finger Family Foundation, which Elaine and Marvy Finger established in 2013 to provide students the means to pursue two-year vocational or technical degrees that can quickly lead to higher-paying jobs, including health care careers, without the anchor of student debt.

“The driving idea of the Marvy Finger Family Foundation is to break the cycle of poverty in Houston and help young people have a chance to earn a living wage,” Marvy Finger says. “That makes the fabric of our city stronger.” The new crop of Finger Scholars this summer will choose interest areas that more closely align with some studies they experience at Houston Community College, San Jacinto College or Lone Star College. Mentors will come from the machine shop; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); construction; and human resources — in addition to research. “Health care offers so many career pathways,” says Amy Wright, director of Educational Partnerships for the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. “Elaine and Marvy Finger want the young scholars to see they can be successful in a career they truly enjoy and make a difference in people’s lives.” For the Fingers, their goal is simple: help students secure a job after they complete the program. “This opportunity helps their experience and looks good on their résumé by saying they’ve worked at Houston Methodist,” says Elaine Finger. “That’s one of the best employers in Houston.”

When Marvy Finger was young, his father ran a small general merchandise store in one of the poorest counties in East Texas, and Marvy clearly remembers how his dad cared for his employees. “When he had extra funds, dad was doing something that would help his workers,” he says. His dad’s altruism inspired Marvy to give back — first as an employee for a home builder, then as the founder and owner of The Finger Companies since 1958. Along with his wife Elaine, Marvy established the Marvy Finger Family Foundation in 2013. In its first year, the foundation’s scholarship program distributed eight scholarships. That number grew to 102 in 2022, awarded to Houston Independent School District graduating seniors. Since 2013, the Marvy Finger Family Foundation has provided 462 scholarships, which offer full tuition, fees and needed tools, such as books, a laptop, food and more. The scholarships are designed to help students with financial need pursue their careers and technical educations in a two-year program. The foundation provides full scholarships to deserving students who want to gain knowledge and skills for high-paying, fast-growing careers, such as health care. “Our foundation helps young people in need, changes the future of families who might otherwise have been stuck in a cycle of poverty and supports transformational research,” Finger says. “Establishing this foundation has been the most rewarding experience of my life.” houstonmethodist.org

photo by Angie Wagner, Sunset Images Photography

PRAYER AND MEDICINE WORK TOGETHER FOR A MODERN MIRACLE 38

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As the author of a mystery novel series, Sandra Bretting is skilled at intricate plotting and subtle clues that lead to the murder suspect. When explaining how she beat the odds and survived a near-death experience with respiratory failure and sepsis in 2018, she says there is no mystery at all. Bretting credits the power of prayer and God’s intervention with saving her life. The miracle began with a chain of events that led her to the emergency room at Houston Methodist West Hospital instead of another health care facility in the Katy area. “I truly believe that was the place I needed to be,” Bretting says. At one point during her stay in the intensive care unit — where Bretting was on a ventilator because her lungs filled with liquid and her body started shutting down — a doctor told her husband, Roger, to summon family members to say their goodbyes. Throughout the ordeal, Bretting notes the prayers of friends and family and the comforting words of Houston Methodist West chaplains sustained them. Now, the Brettings say they want to share the healing power of prayer. This past year they made a gift to the Houston Methodist West Spiritual Care Fund, which supports

the Spiritual Care team who serve patients, families and hospital staff — including front-line medical workers. “Those chaplains have seen a lot,” Roger Bretting says. “They know what to say and when to say it. If we could share that comfort with another family, it would be such a gift!” The Houston Methodist West Spiritual Care team provides thousands of patient visits and prayer huddles each year. These visits can include counseling families who have recently received heartbreaking diagnoses, praying with exhausted nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic or lending a listening ear to anxious patients. Philanthropy helps recruit and train future chaplains by supporting Houston Methodist’s Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program, a fulltime, year-long hospital chaplain certification process that offers the kind of interactive, formative experiences in ministry that only a faith-based hospital can. Upon completing the program, CPE chaplains have assumed a wide range of careers in ministry, including serving as hospital chaplains, church pastors and hospice workers. “The Brettings’ incredible generosity will help Houston Methodist West continue to set the standard for integrating faith and values into modern medicine,” says Wayne Voss, CEO of Houston Methodist West.

“Their commitment will reach far beyond the walls of our hospital and will help strengthen the community’s spiritual life for future generations.” After making a full recovery, Bretting authored a book about her ordeal and what it taught her about prayer titled “Shameless Persistence: Lessons from a Modern Miracle.” Bretting says she appreciates the skill and determination of the medical team that saved her, but she notes it was their compassion and kindness that really impressed her. Since becoming more involved with the hospital and joining the Houston Methodist West Board of Directors, Bretting’s admiration only grew. “Everyone at Houston Methodist is great at their job. They also understand the role God plays in their jobs,” Bretting says. “It feels like a community of faith, and that faith and compassion permeate everything they do. Even at board meetings, we always start with prayer and ask God to bless what we’re doing.” The Brettings say they hope their gift sets an example for others who understand how faith and modern medicine work together to provide hope and healing.

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Steve and Marta Pate and family

ON THE WAY TO HEALING: FA M I LY ’S G I F T P R O M OT E S W E L L N E S S

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

The Pate family was keen on supporting a new initiative that moved beyond the traditional aspects of health care to an allencompassing healing process. “Helping others is what life is all about,” says Marta Pate. “The HEAL initiative and our commitment to it represent our family helping other families in a tangible way that Steve and I can experience with our children and grandchildren. It is our gift to the community that we love.” This initiative, named the Cook Family Health Education and Learning (HEAL) program, merges medicine and wellness through a novel approach at Houston Methodist

The Woodlands Hospital. It aims to redefine health care delivery from diagnosis to treatment and from recovery to living a full life. Foundational to HEAL is the concept that patients and their loved ones are not powerless, whatever the diagnosis may be. Those patients and family members will have access to specialized programs and resources to cope with their new situation, ease their stress and navigate them through a challenging health journey. For Steve Pate, that journey hits close to home. “My dad was sick, but he wouldn’t let anybody take care of him but my mom,” says Pate. “She was the image of health but endured stress from caregiving.

2021 SUPPORTERS Anonymous George and Margaret Blankenship Larry and Susan Dio Rex and Alina Duhn Jensen Family Alan and Julie Kent Gayelene and Ralph McIngvale Marta H. Pate and Stephen V. Pate Allyson and Michael Seder

That’s when I understood the importance of caring for the caregiver, too. HEAL can support the journey of both the patient and the caregiver.” That experience motivated Pate to take charge of his own health and advocate for the health of others. He established an employee fitness center at his company to promote well-being. “If I can do it, anybody can,” says Pate. “I didn’t grow up playing sports, so the first time I stepped into a gym was at 42 years old. Once I learned how to exercise, eat and live, the results were dramatic. I wanted to share what I learned and the importance of being healthy — mind, body and soul.”

The Marta and Stephen Pate Family Foundation stands among the HEAL program’s generous philanthropic partners. Steve Pate notes he was instantly interested in the initiative. “I was already committed to the cause,” says Pate. “Once I learned more about the comprehensive plans, I became invested.” The HEAL space, which will be located on the 65-acre campus of Houston Methodist The Woodlands, will include a teaching kitchen for cooking lessons, education materials, support groups, community education workshops and exercise classes. As patient volumes grow, Houston Methodist The Woodlands is the

ideal location for this healing facility — helping families in The Woodlands, Montgomery County and its surrounding counties. “Our Houston Methodist culture explicitly focuses on delivering unparalleled safety, quality, service and innovation,” says Debra Sukin, CEO of Houston Methodist The Woodlands and regional senior vice president of Houston Methodist. “HEAL is the epitome of honoring that vision with the patient at the heart of everything we do. We are grateful for the generous support from the Pate family, which allows us to bring our vision to reality.”

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THE BEST LAID PLAN:

PEARSONS FOCUS ON HEALTH FOR ESTATE GIVING

When Sharon and Ken Pearson face challenging health issues, they turn to Houston Methodist. Their recent estate gift to their favorite hospital allows them to envision a world where medical advances will occur for future generations. “I had prostate cancer, and I started seeing Dr. Tim Boone for follow-ups and testing. I received wonderful care,” says Ken Pearson. “It piqued my interest in research, and I had lots of questions. Dr. Boone said at the time more research money would make an impact in creating major breakthroughs.” It was that conversation that sparked the couple’s idea to make a planned gift to Houston Methodist. When updating their financial planning and their wills, they focused on aspects that have shaped their lives: family health. “As you get older, you realize there are many health conditions needing further research,” says Ken Pearson. “That usually means a shortage of money to fully address ongoing research. Sharon and I talked for several weeks about what is important to us. It comes down to quality of life, and health plays a huge role in that.”

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Sharon Pearson’s dad died of complications of prostate cancer. Ken Pearson’s dad braved Alzheimer’s disease, and it was difficult to endure. Sharon Pearson faces her own health battles with pre-breast cancer. So, the couple decided to make generous estate gifts to Houston Methodist for three endowments: The Sharon and Kenneth Pearson Prostate Cancer Research Endowment in the Department of Urology, The Sharon and Kenneth Pearson Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research Endowment in the Nantz National Alzheimer Center, and The Sharon and Kenneth Pearson Breast Cancer Research Endowment in the Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center. “Diseases like Alzheimer’s impact the whole family, and we don’t seem to have made progress in preventing or curing this disease,” Sharon Pearson says. “We’d like to help our generation and future generations so diseases such as Alzheimer’s, prostate cancer and breast cancer are not a burden for them. Houston Methodist has a history of steady, strong leadership, and we know our investment is in good hands.”

A LEGACY VOYAGE:

COUPLE FINDS PURPOSE IN ESTATE GIFT

Candy and Tom Knudson’s relationship with Houston Methodist connects to the late ’80s and early ’90s when the couple lived overseas, but Candy’s relationship began before then. “I’m an only child. If I couldn’t reach my parents, I would call Houston Methodist, and one of them would be there,” Candy Knudson says. “The hospital has been a part of our family for a long time, and it continues with us, our children and grandchildren.” Their relationship with the hospital deepened when they trusted Houston Methodist with several family members’ care through serious illnesses and surgeries. Those experiences led the Knudsons to create the Candy and Tom Knudson Distinguished Centennial Chair in Neurosurgery, in honor of its current holder, Dr. Gavin W. Britz, and more recently, to make an estate gift to create the Candy and Tom Knudson Neurosurgical Research Endowment. “We value the hospital’s excellent health care, but we value the relationships we have developed even more,”

says Tom Knudson, who serves on the Neurological Institute National Council. “Everyone at Houston Methodist has a way of relating and showing their character in a way that speaks to me powerfully. They truly live out the I CARE values, and it is inspirational.” The Knudsons wanted to zero in on programs and places for which they feel passionate and that will make a major impact. The Houston Methodist Neurological Institute was a priority area that met their criteria. “We believe in Houston Methodist and all they’re doing,” Tom Knudson says. “We support them with our funds, and with our time and our hearts.” “I have no idea what ‘Star Wars’-like research our estate gift might support someday, but I bet it’s going to be spectacular,” he continues. “For both Candy and me, knowing Houston Methodist will be leading medicine for our children and grandchildren is very reassuring.”

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PHYSICIAN RECOGNIZED WITH

TRANSFORMATIONAL RESEARCH SUPPORT

Exceptional patient care by a treasured Houston Methodist physician-researcher inspired a longtime Houston Methodist family to create an endowment for a research program designed to change the way physicians diagnose and treat some of humankind’s deadliest diseases. The Jerold B. Katz Foundation recently funded the Lenny C. Katz Translational Research Center for Bioenergetics, which is led by Dr. Dale Hamilton, the Elaine and Marvy A. Finger Distinguished Chair for Translational Research in Metabolic Disorders. “The research being produced by the Center for Bioenergetics is game-changing — and will shift the way doctors diagnose and treat patients suffering from all kinds of diseases,” says Evan H. Katz, chairman of the Jerold B. Katz Foundation. “This is important work, and we are proud to support Dr. Hamilton and his team.” Dr. Hamilton has had a longstanding relationship with the Katz Family, meeting Jerold B. Katz in the early 2000s. He subsequently cared for Mr. Katz’s late son, Lenny, who had suffered severe head trauma in a car accident. Now, Dr. Hamilton provides care for Jerold B. Katz. The center’s investigators study methods for “re-energizing” energy-deprived organs, including highly innovative techniques such as the transfer of functional healthy mitochondria into energy-altered tissue. In addition, the center’s researchers pursue investigations related to identifying mechanisms

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

of altered energy transduction in disease states, especially those involving high-energy tissues. The gift from the Jerold B. Katz Foundation has strengthened and expanded the efforts of the center’s researchers. “The Katz endowment definitely increases the depth of our understanding of concepts like the quantum effects of high-energy transfer rates in biologic tissues that have an impact on our health,” says Dr. Hamilton. “The goal and potential are to change the way we diagnose and treat.” “The Jerold B. Katz Foundation’s support allowed us to launch a navigator program to provide collaboration and care for patients in municipal and rural areas with limited access to a tertiary care center,” Dr. Hamilton continues. “That then gave physicians translational research opportunities to address patient care needs.” Evan Katz says the depth of his family’s trust in Dr. Hamilton, and the diligence in which the longtime Methodist physician has always pursued his research, inspired the family to investigate and then invest in the world of bioenergetics. “For us, medical research is about the future,” says Evan Katz. “Dr. Hamilton has the experience, which informs his vision of what is possible. He deeply cares about his research. He has recruited top-notch people into his lab, and they are results driven. We are excited that this work will continue in perpetuity.”

BIOENERGETICS

“The Katz endowment definitely increases the depth of our understanding of concepts like the quantum effects of high-energy transfer rates in biologic tissues that have an impact on our health.” Dr. Dale Hamilton, Director, Center for Bioenergetics

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HOUSTON METHODIST WEST HOSPITAL OPENS

A SACRED SPACE IN THE MUSLIM TRADITION Chaplain Ibrahim Oladejo used to lead Friday Jumah prayers for Houston Methodist West Muslim staffers off-site or in conference rooms. Now, thanks to his efforts, a dedicated on-campus Muslim prayer room is opening for staff, patients and their families. Oladejo says he approached administrators with his idea for the space since the hospital has many Muslim physicians and staff members. “Jumah prayers require a minimum of 12 people,” he says. “ We needed to be in a quiet space of our own away from distractions. I asked, ‘How can we get a space so we can pray in congregation?’” Many staffers worked hard to help make Oladejo’s idea come to life. Drs. Irfan Iftikhar and Jamal Razzack helped lead the process, asking others to support the effort and even helping design the space. Thanks to their initiative, other physicians and community members contributed to making this project a reality. An experienced imam, Oladejo says he was drawn to hospital work after seeing how much talking with a chaplain meant to a sick friend he was visiting.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

He graduated from Houston Methodist’s Clinical Pastoral Education program in August 2020 and was hired shortly after as the hospital system’s first Muslim chaplain. “There are many Muslim patients and family members who need someone who can easily connect with them,” Oladejo says. “ It is comforting for them to receive emotional, spiritual and prayer support from someone of their same faith tradition, especially during this pandemic.” The first floor North Atrium prayer room will accommodate more than 30 people. In addition to Jumah prayers, the space can host seminars, lectures and interfaith dialogues. This is not the only Muslim prayer room in the system. The main campus of Houston Methodist Hospital has two Muslim prayer rooms, Houston Methodist Willowbrook opened its Muslim prayer room in June 2019, and another is in the planning stages at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “To God be the glory,” Oladejo adds. “Amen.”

THE SOCIETY FOR LEADING MEDICINE BY THE NUMBERS 2021

SOCIETY MEMBERS’ IMPACT ON HOUSTON METHODIST Since its inception in 2012, The Society for Leading Medicine members have provided more than $59.1 million in funding to support Houston Methodist’s systemwide commitment to innovation, excellence and patient care. As Houston Methodist’s premier annual giving society, The Society is composed of an exceptional group of community leaders with enthusiasm and dedication to fulfilling Houston Methodist’s vision for the future. Society members are invited to exclusive events with opportunities to meet other members; learn more about the latest advances in health and wellness from world-class physician-scientists; and hear firsthand about our most recent pioneering discoveries, new treatments and medical breakthroughs.

$13.4 MILLION RAISED

900

MEMBERSHIPS

346

NEW SOCIETY MEMBERS

136

LIFETIME GIFTS

Find more information on The Society for Leading Medicine by using the camera on your smart device to hover over the QR Code. houstonmethodist.org

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

As a successful oil and gas entrepreneur, Joe Greenberg focuses on results. As a philanthropist, he tackles some of the community’s most pressing challenges. In Houston Methodist’s Translational Research Initiative (TRI), Greenberg says he saw an opportunity to support a groundbreaking approach to research funding that combines corporate discipline with scientific brilliance. TRI helps the most promising projects make the leap from laboratory and other studies — a phase in the research cycle where many potential therapies languish — to human clinical trials. “The problem of efficiently translating medical discoveries to patient care is clear and significant,” Greenberg says. “I believe TRI is a superb solution to that problem. I’m very impressed by the structure of TRI and the projects funded to date.” In 2021, Greenberg and his wife Claire made a gift supporting the program’s third iteration — known as TRI III — in memory of their friend and Houston Methodist benefactor Kenneth R. Peak. The TRI III Challenge Fund, established by Paula and Rusty Walter, matched the gift dollar-for-dollar. Challenge Funds established by the Walters and the Jerold B. Katz Foundation supported TRI I and TRI II, respectively. TRI I and TRI II raised $10 million each. Through a competitive review process, TRI awards funds to researchers and clinician-scientists to speed development of new therapies and reduce the time it takes for laboratory breakthroughs to become patient treatments. For example, an early TRI project — a wearable, noninvasive brain stimulation device to aid stroke recovery — was commercially licensed and recently proved effective in clinical trials. TRI III focuses on neurological restoration, giving new hope to victims of stroke, spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Like the previous TRI efforts, TRI III resonates with community visionaries. With 66 benefactors so far, the TRI III fund is more than two-thirds toward the $10 million goal.

A GROUNDBREAKING APPROACH TO RESEARCH FUNDING THAT COMBINES CORPORATE DISCIPLINE WITH SCIENTIFIC BRILLIANCE.

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BREAKS NEW GROUND Researchers in the new Ann Kimball and John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics are building on advances in nanotechnology, RNA technology and neuroimaging to vault into the next dimension of medicine with cellular therapeutics. Cell therapy infuses or implants live cells — often a patient’s own cells treated externally — back into the body to fight disease or repair and rejuvenate cells. “How we can help patients is only limited by our imagination,” says Dr. Stanley H. Appel, the Peggy and Gary Edwards Distinguished Chair in ALS Research in the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, director of the Ann Kimball and John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics and co-director of the Neurological Institute at Houston Methodist. Innovation permeates the Johnson Center, made possible from a generous lead gift from Ann and John W. “Johnny” Johnson. Nearly 50 benefactors have joined their efforts, witnessing their gifts matched dollar-for-dollar as part of a Challenge Fund.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

The Johnson Center equips researchers and physicians in every corner of the Houston Methodist system with the resources needed to develop new treatments. The areas that could see cell therapy breakthroughs include cardiology, cancer, transplant, neurology, and orthopedics and sports medicine. For example, the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center is growing the RNA Therapeutics Program through the Johnson Center. RNA-mediated therapies have the potential to treat neurological and infectious diseases, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Houston Methodist’s ability to provide cell therapy is game-changing, says Dr. Jenny C. Chang, the Emily Herrmann Presidential Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research and the director of the Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center. “Cellular therapy, because of its complexity, is generally administered at academic medical centers like the Houston Methodist campus in the Texas Medical Center,” Dr. Chang says. “Our vision is to provide this highly specialized cellular therapy treatment at all our regional hospitals.”

The current health care climate increasingly requires physicians, physician-scientists and scientists to prioritize production over innovation and scholarship. However, medical breakthroughs often necessitate a multidisciplinary approach that infuses biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, informatics and other areas with medicine.

Houston Methodist’s scholars are positioned to make these advances, but they need protected time and resources to pursue meaningful discoveries. The Houston Methodist Trainee, Physician and Researcher Development Ladder provides that protected time and many other resources, with the goal to have 10-20% of academic medical faculty holding endowed positions. From the early stages of a medical trainee’s career to the senior-level experiences of a director or chair, faculty members will receive

support to strengthen their research and integrate translational endeavors more rapidly. This program includes a Trainee, Physician and Researcher Development Ladder that will support these groups: • Students, Residents and Trainees • Academic Clinical Fellows • Academic Faculty • Endowed Scholars • Endowed Chairs The groups will have access to skills-building courses, mentorship networks, individualized coaching and navigation through the regulatory process. All these services help educate the next generation of health care professionals, promote clinical and translational research, and drive innovation.

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS houstonmethodist.org

TRAINEE, PHYSICIAN AND RESEARCHER DEVELOPMENT LADDER Centers of Excellence and all specialty areas of Houston Methodist must grow a cadre of clinician-scientists who follow the academic model for medicine. With philanthropic support and an institutional commitment, Houston Methodist’s leadership has created an academic development ladder: • Students, Residents, Trainees | Offers students, fellows and other trainees development and research opportunities • Academic Clinical Fellows | Affords clinical fellows enhanced research and development options • Academic Faculty | Provides early-career physicians and researchers protected time, research seed funds and mentors • Endowed Scholars | Supports high-performing, midcareer physicians and researchers with endowed positions and research funds (like Katz Investigators) • Endowed Chairs | Rewards the next generation of senior leadership with endowed chairs

Academic Clinical Fellows Students, Residents, Trainees

Goal = 20

Goal = 156

Philanthropic Opportunities: Endowed – $2M

• Clinical Research Fellows – 10 • Faculty Fellows – 10

• EnMed • Postdocs • GME • Students Philanthropic Opportunities: Current Use – $50,000-$100,000 Endowed – $2M

GOAL: 156

fellows and residents

Seeking philanthropic support for 156 (of our 335) residents and fellows for whom the government does not provide funding

TRAINEE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US IN 2021

Anonymous • Aramco Americas • Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Ash • Everett E. and Randee K. Bernal • Craig Brown and Sue Smith • Lucky and Sandy Burke • Linda and Kevin Burns • J. David and Bertha Cabello • Allison and Michael Casey • The Cockrell Foundation • The Coneway Family Foundation • Sherrie and Alan* Conover • The Cullen Trust for Health Care • Mary and Sam Daffin • Frank E. and Mary Cain Driscoll* • Gerald H. Dubin, MD • Anne S. and Charles W. Duncan, Jr. • The Duncan Fund • John S. Dunn Foundation • The Elkins Foundation • Toni and Walter Finger • Kenneth G. and Janet M. Follansbee • Cathy and Ed Frank • Joan M. Harrell • H-E-B • Sharon and Jim Hibbert • Tamra and Kirk Houston •

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Endowed Chairholders Goal = 125

Endowed Scholars Goal = 50

Academic Faculty Goal = 50 Rising Star Faculty • Clinician-Scientists – 10 • Clinical Trialists – 20 • Clinical Educators – 15 • Translational Scientists – 5

• High-Performing Midcareer and Senior Faculty – 45 • GME Program Directors – 5

Senior Leadership Faculty Philanthropic Opportunities: Endowed – • Chair – $1M • Distinguished Chair – $2M • Presidential Distinguished Chair – $3M

Philanthropic Opportunities: Endowed – $2-$3M

Philanthropic Opportunities:

Unparalleled Potential Challenge

An extraordinary gift from an anonymous donor enables friends of Houston Methodist to establish endowed positions encouraging rising star physicians and researchers at a pivotal career juncture. • Adds a $500,000 match for each $1.5 million endowed commitment for a $2 million total philanthropic impact • Adds a $1 million match for each $2 million endowed commitment for a $3 million total philanthropic impact • Provides protected time for research and teaching • Is subject to availability and qualification

GOAL: 245

endowed positions

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Alard Kaplan • Dr. and Mrs. Alan L. Kaplan • Carol and Burt* Keenan • Candy and Tom Knudson • Herb and Jean Lyman • M.D. Anderson Foundation • M.R. Bauer Foundation • The Magna Foundation • Wendy and Ben Moreland • Mr. and Mrs. Edward Murray • Dr. Mary and Ron Neal • Occidental Petroleum • The John M. O’Quinn Foundation • Deborah C. and Clifton B. Phillips • Frank J. and Jean Raymond • Dennis* and Cathy Seith • Judith Helmle Shaw and Roy S. Shaw, Jr. • Dr. and Mrs. William H. Spencer III • Lynda K. and David* M. Underwood • Blake and Roswell “Sandy”* F. Vaughan III • Elizabeth and Peter Wareing • Marilyn and Christopher Winters • William A. Zoghbi and Huda Y. Zoghbi * deceased

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2021 PHI LANTHROPY DIGEST

Houston Alzheimer’s Study

John S. Dunn Clinician Innovator Award

Houston Methodist leads the

The Dunn Foundation Board

Houston Alzheimer’s Study,

established the John S. Dunn

an in-depth study in which

Clinician Innovator Award for

researchers screen 400 patients

Dr. Michael Klebuc to provide

who represent various stages of

protected time and seed funding

dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well

for Dr. Klebuc to conduct clinical

as family members who do not show

trials that transform the quality of

signs of the disease. The results

life for patients. The gift helped

will provide the worldwide scientific

Houston Methodist further serve

community with direction for

as a national destination for

M. Samuel Daffin, Sr. Centennial

developing future therapies

patients who require complex

Chair in Anesthesia and Critical

that diagnose, treat and prevent

reconstructive surgery. In addition,

Care held by Dr. Faisal N. Masud;

the wide variety of underlying

the John S. Dunn Clinician Innovator

the Research, Education and

pathologies involved in memory

Award assisted Dr. Klebuc and his

disorders. The generous challenge

colleagues to discover additional

Structural Heart Disease with

fund, established by Jeanne and

new treatments that patients

Dr. William A. Zoghbi as custodian;

Joe Bob Perkins in 2019 along

desperately need.

and the Cardiovascular Telemedicine

with 16 additional philanthropists

Service with Dr. Stuart James Corr

(13 of whom are founding members),

as custodian. The challenge met

bolstered the $5 million study.

Dr. Mark J. Hausknecht Matching Challenge The Dr. Mark J. Hausknecht Matching Challenge was established in 2018. It created the Mary A. and

Innovation Fund in Interventional

its goal at the end of 2021.

Kleberg Foundation The Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation provided generous support toward a new health service educational initiative titled “RECALL-SONIC: Recognition of Emerging Conditions Learning Lab with Schools of Nursing Inter-University Consortium.” The initiative created a partnership between Houston Methodist and

The Allison Family Pumps and Pipes Endowment The Carolyn J. and Robert J. Allison, Jr. Family Foundation established The Allison Family Pumps and Pipes Endowment in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center. The endowment

Texas A&M University to bring state-of-the-art medical education to nursing students who are training in rural areas. The initiative’s goal is to greatly improve health outcomes for residents of Kleberg County and surrounding counties.

Mosaic Replica at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Houston Methodist remains steadfast in its commitment to leading medicine through a faithbased approach. An initiative to install a replica of The Extending Arms of Christ mosaic in each community and continuing care hospital began in 2019. The first replica was installed at the Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital in 2020. Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital installed its

will support the Pumps and Pipes

replica in 2021 due to the support

program contributing toward the

of several generous benefactors:

creation of an ongoing seminar

The Woodlands Methodist Church,

and/or lecture series.

John Cook and Family, Rod and Karen Leis, and Ann and Jerry Snyder.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

New PLC Groups

Cone Scholar Ather Adnan is

The President’s Leadership Council

working in partnership with

(PLC) consists of community

Dr. Diego Martin on MRI studies to

leaders who serve as advocates and

identify imaging biomarkers that may

champions for Houston Methodist

be associated with differences in

and its executives, physicians and

histopathological features of intra-

scientists. PLC members provide

abdominal tumors. Cone Scholar

important insights and perspectives to help inform and improve the hospital’s services. These private sector leaders help advance clinical

Nantz National Alzheimer Center 10th Anniversary

Ashmi Patel is working with Dr. Raj Satkunasivam, also on MRI studies, to understand if fluorescent dye can be used during bladder surgery

care, translational research and

Jim Nantz, founder of the Nantz

to detect the tumor margins and

medical education.

National Alzheimer Center and

any malignancy in neighboring

New PLC groups in 2021 are:

CBS Sports commentator, along with

lymph nodes.

• Advancing Nursing Excellence

Drs. Marc Boom, Stanley Appel,

Council, chaired by Emily Crosswell • Reconstructive Surgery Task Force, chaired by Claudia Contreras • Spiritual Care Task Force • Women’s Health Task Force, chaired by Marcy Margolis and Leslie Margolis See page 58 for the listing of PLC members.

Joseph Masdeu, Gustavo Roman and Alireza Faridar, hosted a virtual event to over 200 guests commemorating the NNAC’s accomplishments over the past 10 years. The panel of physicians discussed the Houston Alzheimer’s Study and the journey to eradicate the suffering and devastation caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders.

Joann and Michael M. Cone Scholars An endowed fund at Houston Methodist, the Joann and Michael M. Cone Scholars in Surgical Innovation, is supporting graduate student research projects focusing

Center for Performing Arts Medicine The Center for Performance Arts Medicine commemorated 25 years of service with a series of engaging virtual events. Over 100 guests enjoyed discussions on the latest research and treatments through the arts.

on surgical innovation. This competitive award is available to medical, PhD and EnMed (Engineering/Medicine) students at Houston Methodist who are working in partnership with scientists and clinicians from the Department of Surgery or other areas of the hospital or the Academic Institute. The Cone Scholars receive financial awards to support the development of their projects.

EnMed Innovation Symposium The Craig C. Brown and Suzanne H. Smith Engineering Medicine (EnMed) program, an innovative engineering medicine track with Texas A&M University at Houston Methodist Hospital, awarded five “physicianeers” the Brown, Smith & Raymond EnMed Capstone Innovator Awards. Through a highly competitive process, students’ ideas are reviewed by a committee composed of EnMed faculty and leaders from the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. The selected ideas exhibit strong potential to attract health care research and funding, as well as create new companies and jobs.

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2021

YEAR IN REVIEW TOTAL COMMITTED

$ 98.6 MILLION

121

ENDOWED POSITIONS (IN TOTAL)

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

140

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH INITIATIVE FOUNDING MEMBERS

JOHNSON CENTER FOR CELLULAR THERAPEUTICS FOUNDING MEMBERS

(TOTAL IMPACT: $26,787,154; INCLUDES TRI I, II AND III)

(TOTAL IMPACT: $7,141,553)

INCOME SOURCES

6% FOUNDATIONS

INDIVIDUALS

5 % CORPORATION/ CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS

2% OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

3,188 GIFTS AREAS OF GIVING

ACCELERATE RESEARCH

2,492

PROMOTE HEALING

ATTRACT BRILLIANCE

TRAIN SUPERSTARS

UNIQUE DONORS

WITH GRATITUDE houstonmethodist.org

LEADERSHIP

Houston Methodist Board of Directors Gregory V. Nelson, Chair John F. Bookout, Chair Emeritus Ewing Werlein, Jr., Senior Chair Marc L. Boom, MD, President and CEO Carlton E. Baucum, Vice Chair Mary A. Daffin, Vice Chair Elizabeth Blanton Wareing, Secretary David M. Underwood, Jr., Asst. Secretary Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III, Treasurer Joe Bob Perkins, Asst. Treasurer Emily A. Crosswell Martha Smith DeBusk Gary W. Edwards Juliet S. Ellis Mark A. Houser Bishop Scott J. Jones Rev. Kenneth R. Levingston Vidal G. Martinez Constance M. Mobley, MD, PhD W. Benjamin Moreland Thomas J. Pace III, DMin Edmund W. Robb III, DMin Stuart L. Solomon, MD, President of the Medical Staff Douglas E. Swanson, Jr. Spencer A. Tillman Advisory Rev. Kip R. Gilts Peter T. Nguyen, MD, President-Elect of the Medical Staff Life Members Ernest H. Cockrell James C. Dishman Charles W. Duncan, Jr. Connie M. Dyer Issac H. Kempner III Robert K. Moses, Jr. Sandra Gayle Wright, RN, EdD Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Board of Directors John W. Johnson, Chair John F. Bookout, Chair Emeritus Ewing Werlein, Jr., Senior Chair Susan Coulter, JD, President and CEO, Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Elizabeth Blanton Wareing, Vice Chair Emily A. Crosswell, Secretary Dorothy M. Ables Marc L. Boom, MD Michael M. Cone Charles W. Duncan, Jr. Marvy A. Finger Vidal G. Martinez Gregory V. Nelson Gerold B. Smith David M. Underwood, Jr. Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III James “Jim” V. Walzel Marcus “Marc” A. Watts Randa Weiner

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Houston Methodist Academic Institute Board of Directors Martha Smith DeBusk, Chair W. Benjamin Moreland, Vice Chair Marc L. Boom, MD, President and CEO, Houston Methodist Edward A. Jones, President and CEO, Houston Methodist Research Institute H. Dirk Sostman, MD, President, Houston Methodist Academic Institute Stephen I. Chazen, Secretary Edward R. Allen III, PhD David C. Baggett, Jr. Steven Birdwell John F. Bookout P. Embry Canterbury David Chao Augustine M.K. Choi, MD Ernest D. Cockrell II Martin S. Craighead W. Leslie Doggett Antonio M. Gotto, Jr., MD, DPhil Evan H. Katz Edwin “Ed” H. Knight Kevin J. Lilly Steven S. Looke Ransom C. Lummis David A. Modesett W. Benjamin Moreland Gregory V. Nelson Joe Bob Perkins Mary Eliza Shaper Suzanne H. Smith Douglas E. Swanson, Jr. David M. Underwood, Jr. Amy L. Waer, MD Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III Martha S. Walton Ewing Werlein, Jr. Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Board of Trustees Gilbert Santana, Chair Pete Alfaro, Vice Chair David P. Bernard, Secretary Wayne Baldwin Marc L. Boom, MD R.D. Burnside Tommy Clements Rohan Davis Walter O’Hara, MD Rick Peebles Gary T. Schmidt Christopher Siebenaler Lynda Villanueva, PhD Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Board of Trustees Levi Benton, Chair Chris Siebenaler, Vice Chair Daniel Newman, Secretary Marc L. Boom, MD John D. Kennedy LaRon Mason, MD Jerry Neff, DMin Vince Nguyen Charles Pulliam Elaine Renola Judge Holly Williamson

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Board of Trustees William F. Schwer, Chair Suehing W.Y. Chiang, Vice Chair Chris Siebenaler, Secretary Marc L. Boom, MD Elizabeth Butler Anthony Francis Gene Huebner, MD Jeffrey Jackson, MD Lonnie Meadows Rev. Martin Nicholas Scott Rivenes, MD Sutapa Sur Houston Methodist West Hospital Board of Trustees Vidal Ramirez, Chair Ramon M. “Mick” Cantu, Vice Chair Wayne Voss, Secretary Marc L. Boom, MD Sandra Bretting William A. Callegari Donald Chaney Irfan Iftikhar, MD Neice Lang Stuart I. Levin Rahul B. Mehta Brad Morgan Manish Wani, MD Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Board of Trustees Reginald Lillie, Chair Ken Werlein, Vice Chair Keith D. Barber, Secretary Khawaja Azimuddin, MD Marc L. Boom, MD J. David Cabello Linda J. Humphries Griffin E. Jones Sippi K. Khurana, MD Stacy Norton, MD Jennifer R. Pittman Andrea Lee Robison Barbara Schlattman Debra F. Sukin, PhD Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital Board of Trustees Ann Snyder, PhD, Chair Debra F. Sukin, PhD, Secretary Ralph Alexander Marc L. Boom, MD Ramon M. “Mick” Cantu Paul Cunningham, MD Susan Dio Lucas Duvall, MD Bishop Robert “Bob” Hayes, Jr. Marc Labbé, MD Sallie Rainer Laura Sugg Samuel “Dave” Warren

President’s Leadership Council Senior Cabinet Steven D. Stephens, Chair Robert J. Allison, Jr. Eva C. Bisso Kelli L. Blanton Marc L. Boom, MD Michael Casey Art Chavez Stephen I. Chazen David A. Cockrell Clayton Erikson Daniel M. Gilbane Michael J. Graff Janet Gurwitch George Kelly David D. Kinder John P. Kotts William Gentry Lee, Jr. Aylwin Lewis Steve Lindley Michael C. Linn Rahul B. Mehta Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson Veronica Selinko-Curran, MD Douglas E. Swanson, Jr. David M. Underwood, Jr. Robert L. Zorich At-Large Members Arch H. Aplin III Bruce R. Bilger Isabel G. David Jack Dinerstein Carolyn W. Dorros Celia J. Dupré Jenny Elkins W. Lawrence Elliott Thomas L. Elsenbrook Jeffrey H. Foutch Linda C. Gill Steven J. Kean Michael J. Plank Cullen R. Spitzer Alan L. Stein Scott Wegmann Paul Yetter Advocacy Committee George M. Masterson, Chair Gina B. Andrews Jonathan Baksht Eddy S. Blanton Kelli L. Blanton Muffin Clark David A. Cockrell Claudia Contreras David R. Dominy Janet Luby Jeffrey E. Margolis David R. McKeithan, Jr. Mary Ann McKeithan Denise D. Monteleone Joel L. Moore Rick Moore Cabrina F. Owsley Rick Perez Suzanne H. Smith Franco Valobra Karen D. Walker Dancie Perugini Ware Kelley Young

Patient Experience Committee Ward Sheffield, Chair Matthew K. Baird Bruce Bilger, Jr. George M. Britton, Jr. R.D. Burnside Gerardo A. Chapa Muffin Clark M. Scott Cone Denis A. DeBakey William J. Doré, Jr. Ann H. Elvin Marc P. Gordon Vicki A. Hollub David D. Kinder Laura Laux Jeffrey E. Margolis Dale L. Martin Grant Martinez Andrew D. McCullough, Jr. Rahul B. Mehta Rick Moore Frank D. Perez Melanie C. Rothwell Scott E. Schwinger Veronica Selinko-Curran, MD David M. Underwood, Jr. Duncan K. Underwood Judge Holly Williamson Faculty Campaign Committee Richard Harper, MD, Chair H. Dirk Sostman, MD, Co-Chair Jett Brady, MD Ron Gentry, MD Robert E. Jackson, MD Gerald Lawrie, MD Brian Miles, MD Todd Trask, MD

Specialty Councils Houston Methodist Advancing Nursing Excellence Council Emily Crosswell, Chair Judy Ley Allen Ginger Blanton Leslie D. Blanton Muffin Clark Cathy Fitzpatrick Cleary Allyson Priest Cook Carla Dawson Marcy Duncan Lauren Weil Friedman Jan Griesenbeck Jes Hagale Deborah M. Harper Sonny Messiah Jiles Catherine S. Jodeit Kistal Key Lucy C. Kormier, MD Elyse B. Lanier Judy Levin Julie Stone Payne Sissy Roberts Melissa B. Schnitzer Tommye S. Torian Lynda Underwood Mary E. Webber Carolyn Josey Young Houston Methodist Center for Performing Arts Medicine Advisory Council Robert E. Jackson, MD, Chair C. Richard Stasney, MD, Founder E. William Barnett Janice H. Barrow Ginger Blanton Anthony K. Brandt, PhD Sharon Bryan Albert Y. Chao James W. Crownover Rod K. Cutsinger Sue Nan Cutsinger Françoise A. Djerejian Deborah K. Duncan Gina Eandi, RN Victor Fainstein, MD Jeremy Finkelstein, MD J. Todd Frazier Robert Freeman, PhD Elizabeth L. Ghrist Suzanne M. Glasscock Carole J. Hackett, BSN, EdM, RN Richard L. Harper, MD Christof Karmonik, PhD Thomas A. Krouskop, PhD, PE Michael W. Lieberman, MD, PhD Sharon Ley Lietzow Judy E. Margolis Gabby Martinez Vidal G. Martinez Hoyt T. “Toby” Mattox Edwards U. McReynolds, MD Rev. Charles R. Millikan, DMin James M. Musser, MD, PhD Judy Nyquist Nicholas A. Phillips Patricia Rauch L.E. Simmons Jerome B. Simon Lois F. Stark Apurva A. Thekdi, MD Ron Tintner, MD Laura Jennings Turner Kevin E. Varner, MD Richard E. Wainerdi, PhD, PE Margaret Alkek Williams Stephen T. Wong, PhD, PE Robert A. Yekovich, DMA

Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Council Robyn Canterbury, Chair Robert J. Allison, Jr. Seth M. Barrett J. Denny Bartell Kristen Berger Marc L. Boom, MD Kenneth E. Breaux John R. Butler, Jr. P. Embry Canterbury Carl M. Carter III Gerardo A. Chapa Mary A. Daffin Denis A. DeBakey Joann P. DiGennaro Brad Dinerstein William J. Doré, Jr. William J. Doré, Sr. Nan Duhon Jean Durdin Connie M. Dyer, Emeritus Co-Chair Danielle Ellis Eva K. Farha William E. Gipson Marc P. Gordon David B. Greenberg Matthew Harris Miguel A. Hernandez Wendy Hines Alard Kaplan Fadila B. Kibsgaard William E. King William E. Kline, PhD Cynthia G. Kostas Carole W. Looke John M. McCormack David R. McKeithan, Jr. Mary Ann McKeithan Mason L. Mote Lance Murphy Taylor Norris Frank D. Perez Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson, Emeritus Co-Chair Douglas R. Quinn Elizabeth C. Walter Houston Methodist Immunology Center Council Lloyd “Lucky” S. Burke, Co-Chair James G. Frankel, Co-Chair Laura T. Baird Sandy L. Burke Louis B. Cushman Stevan L. Dinerstein, MD Annie Criner Eifler Carol Frankel Jennie Getten Michael J. Graff Rhonda Graff Christy Jennings Sippi K. Khurana, MD Carolyn C. Light David W. Light III Moez Mangalji Sultana Mangalji Jeffrey E. Margolis Aimee B. McCrory Donald Poarch Angela E. “Nikki” Richnow Mary Eliza Shaper Ann G. Trammell David M. Underwood, Jr. Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center Council Dorothy M. Ables, Chair Jud Bailey Carin M. Barth Daphne Bernicker Eric H. Bernicker, MD E. Brian Butler, MD Jenny Chang, MD Scott A. Davis Rev. Noel Denison Ann H. Elvin Nestor Esnaola, MD Heather Firestone Carol Herder Charles Herder II

Alan L. Kaplan, MD John W. Lodge III Christine Lukens Dale L. Martin Peggy D. Martin Maryanne W. McCormack David A. Modesett Diane Modesett Vivian O’Leary Jackie Phillips Anne Rappold Cissie Rauch-Kaplan Julie Robertson Melanie Rothwell Betsy R. Siff Glenn R. Smith Betty A. Sommer Bin S. Teh, MD Christine L. Underwood Kent Walters W. Temple Webber III Linda Webster Stephen T. Wong, PhD, PE Qing Yi, MD, PhD Houston Methodist Neurological Institute National Council Gary W. Edwards, Chair William E. Chiles, Co-Chair James P. Bailey, Jr. James R. Bath Everett E. Bernal Randee K. Bernal Eddy S. Blanton Ginger Blanton John F. Bookout Allen Brivic J. David Cabello Mary Kay Cimo Kathleen Crist Kate Fowler Frank Gay Paula Gay Kate H. Gibson Robert H. Graham Sue Harris Sylvia Harris Titus H. Harris III Billy Harrison Gregory Hintz Suzanne Hixson Mary F. Johnston Elise Joseph Thomas C. Knudson Gregory A. Kozmetsky Carol Linn Jack B. Moore Meg Murray James W. Oden Cabrina F. Owsley Karen P. Payne Leon M. Payne, Member in Memoriam Arthur A. Seeligson III Donna S. Stahlhut Roxane R. Strickling Henry J.N. “Kitch” Taub II Anne G. Thobae Andrew C. von Eschenbach, MD Dancie Perugini Ware Elizabeth Blanton Wareing Lisa Wendell Shawn Wendell Steven B. Wyatt Houston Methodist Lynda K. & David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders Council Rob Fondren, Co-Chair Duncan K. Underwood, Co-Chair James J. Braniff III Jay Golding Pedro Durán Gomez Marcy Margolis James C. Pappas A. Carl Schmulen, MD C. Loren Vandiver Elizabeth Blanton Wareing Marie Wise William Wise Michael Zilkha Nina Zilkha

Specialty Task Forces Houston Methodist Behavioral Health Task Force David B. Lumpkins, Chair Frank Amsler Eliza Duncan Kelly Hackett Gayle G. Kennedy Joseph S. Looke Kristi P. Lumpkins Caroline Negley Robert L. Zorich Houston Methodist Jack S. Blanton Eye Institute Task Force Eddy S. Blanton, Chair Hilary A. Beaver, MD Jack S. Blanton, Jr. Leslie D. Blanton Allen Brivic David M. Brown, MD Petros Carvounis, MD Ollabelle Hall Jorie Jackson Frances M. Jones, DDS Andrew G. Lee, MD Herbert Lyman Jean Lyman Alice McPherson, MD Kevin Merkley, MD Aaron Miller, MD Lisa O’Leary Cabrina Owsley Rick Raanes Vanessa Raanes Sandy Rosenberg Florence Rutherford Michael G. Rutherford C. Richard Stasney, MD Ellen Wagnon Dancie Perugini Ware Charles Wykoff, MD Houston Methodist Brain & Bone Collaborative Orthopedics Task Force Jon D. Deutser, Co-Chair Cynthia R. Levin Moulton, Co-Chair J.D. Bucky Allshouse Lauren G. Anderson Eric Brueggeman Clint Cannon Jennifer Davenport Jace Duke Heather Firestone John Granato Debbie Hance Joshua D. Harris, MDW Vijay Jotwani, MD Terry Lohrenz Mark Loveland Larry Margolis Patrick McCulloch, MD Hannah McNair J. Mace Meeks Keith Morris Randy Nelson Jason Ostrom Kenneth Podell, PhD Jeffrey Raizner Margaret D. Reppert James C. Rootes Todd Siff, MD Alan L. Smith S. Shawn Stephens Donald Trull Kevin E. Varner, MD Daryl W. Wade Barry D. Warner

Houston Methodist Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease & Transplantation Task Force Paula D. Criel, Chair Deborah Keener Brown Alan Conover, Member In Memoriam Sherrie Conover Kandice Fogle David B. Garten Kathy Ghobrial Elizabeth A. Hoff Tami Houston Edward A. Jones George P. Joseph Burt H. Keenan, Member In Memoriam Lawrence W. Kellner W. Gregory Looser Linda G. Lykos Dr. Barbara Manousso Walter McFadden Eugene A. O’Donnell Reena Patel Elizabeth Rotan Mary Seefluth Patricia Sloan Samuel Sloan Elizabeth A. Smith Cynthia Urquhart Edward Urquhart, Member in Memoriam Houston Methodist Reconstructive Surgery Task Force (in development) Claudia Contreras, Chair Houston Methodist Spiritual Care Task Force Faisal Masud, MD Carolyn Meyer Steve Pate Rabbi Adrienne Scott Rev. John Stephens Jim Walzel Judge Holly Williamson Nihala Zakaria Anita Zapata Sue Zinni Houston Methodist Surgical Innovations Task Force Marcos J. Basso Michael Ellington Douglas V. Getten Dana L. Myers, MD Jon Phillip Spiers, MD, JD Jamie Taussig Bridget Butler Wade Randa Weiner John B. Young, Jr. Anat K. Zeidman

Houston Methodist Urology Task Force John Bonner Cathy Derrick Robert Derrick Karen Feld Larry Feld W. Benjamin Moreland Wendy Moreland Carolyn Putterman Leland Putterman Steve Selsberg Tricia Selsberg Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center Task Force W. Gregory Looser, Chair Wayne Baldwin Vicki L. Baucum Cole Dawson John Dawson, Jr. Martha Smith DeBusk Jan Follansbee Kenneth G. Follansbee, Sr. Anita W. Garten David B. Garten Vicki H. Hitzhusen Elizabeth Hoff George P. Joseph Alard Kaplan Gayle G. Kennedy Colter Lewis Steven S. Looke Vicki L. Massad Michael M. Metz Valerie Naifeh Reena Patel Deborah Phillips Ahmed A. Rabie, PhD Kathryn Rabinow Edmund W. Robb Nora Smati Elizabeth A. Smith Terrell Eastman Sprague Helen Streaker Steven Thorpe Ellis L. Tudzin Christine L. Underwood Martha S. Walton Hilary S. Ware Houston Methodist Women’s Health Task Force Marcy Margolis, Co-Chair Leslie Margolis, Co-Chair Elisabeth Bickham Kelli Blanton Lori Cohen Nancy Dinerstein Shari Fish Fredda Friedlander Melanie Margolis Melanie Morgan Cabrina F. Owsley Barbara Ross Elisha Selzer Betsy Siff Nina Zilkha As of May 1, 2022

houstonmethodist.org

LETTER FROM OUR CHAIR

Thank you for making 2021 another year to remember. From an early age, we learn that 98.6º is an ideal temperature. With that in mind, I am pleased to report that in 2021, Houston Methodist received $98.6 million in philanthropic support. This achievement ranks as the second most successful fundraising year in the Foundation’s history — and that, thanks to you, is what occurred. Even in the second year of a global pandemic, so many generously stepped up to support patient care, translational research and medical education. These pages highlight a few of our benefactors’ stories, but please know that we are grateful to all. Due to the generosity of Dr. Mary and Ron Neal, our cancer center has a new name to go along with its unchanged lifesaving mission. Because of the dramatic increase in patient activity created by COVID-19, workload stress and fatigue became a different, but very significant, type of challenge. The Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation and Carole Walter and Jim Looke made significant investments to support Houston Methodist personnel who fought tirelessly throughout the multiple surges. We also are grateful to several anonymous benefactors who have established chairs and other endowments to benefit the patients who are at the center of all that we do. I would like to thank our many volunteers for the time, wisdom and guidance you so graciously provide as a member of one of Houston Methodist’s boards or the President’s Leadership Council. Your advocacy, perspective and connection to the community are appreciated more than words can express. Our success would not be possible without your unwavering commitment to our mission. As a result, we are truly leading medicine.

CREDITS

JOHN W. JOHNSON, CHAIR Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Board of Directors

President and CEO, Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation: Susan Coulter, JD Managing Editor: Aline Wilson Editors: Emily Akers, Marjorie Gonzalez, Veronica Vazquez Associate Editor: Emily Henagan Writers: Rolando Garcia, Marc Levinson, Joseph Milano, Michelle Morris, Michelle Swick, Mary White Creative Director: Karen Holland Illustrators: Martin Leon Barreto, Christiane Beauregard, John Jay Cabuay, David Despau, Luke Lucas, Bruce Morser, Stefano Vitale, Keith Witmer Photographers: Fantich Studio, Terry Vine

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Houston, Texas Permit No. 2034

1707 Sunset Boulevard Houston, Texas 77005 832.667.5816

2021FDN-Magazine

Houston Methodist Foundation Annual Report 2021

Articles inside

LETTER FROM OUR CHAIR

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

PHILANTHROPY DIGEST

A SACRED SPACE

CELLULAR THERAPEUTICS BREAKS NEW GROUND

BIOENERGETICS RESEARCH

A LEGACY VOYAGE

RELIABLE RESOURCES

BUNDLE OF BLESSINGS

THE BEST LAID PLAN

BUILDING ON MOMENTUM

ON THE WAY TO HEALING

PRAYER AND MEDICINE

THE PERFECT GIFT

RESTORING RESILIENCE

NEW CHAIRHOLDERS

ENDOWED CHAIRS

BECOMING PATIENTS

DESTINATION KNOWN

GIFT IN THE MAKING

PHYSICIAN TRAINING

NEVER SAY CAN’T

TOP OF MIND