TOP OF MIND

16 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 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 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.

“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.”