their support out of deep appreciation for Dr. Mohammed Attar’s outstanding care. The Wyatts first met Dr. Attar while he was training under legendary heart surgeon, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey.
The Elkins family has generously supported Houston Methodist throughout the decades. Judge James A. Elkins was an original member of the board of directors appointed in 1919. His grandson, James A. Elkins III, served on
ALLISON
Wyatt and his wife Lynn began
elkins
Wyatt
Longtime Texas oilman Oscar
Carolyn and Robert J. Allison Jr.’s longtime commitment and service to Houston Methodist led to the creation of a new endowed chair in 2014 – the Allison Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Research. The couple’s generous gift provides resources for inau-
Dr. Attar, a renowned cardiologist,
the Houston Methodist and Houston
eventually became Oscar’s physician and
Methodist Hospital Foundation boards
gural chair holder Dr. Michael Reardon
ultimately saved his life. One morning
of directors, and his granddaughter,
to continue pursuing his innovative
in 2008, Lynn noticed Oscar’s health had
Elise Joseph, currently serves on the
research and treatment in cardiothoracic
suddenly deteriorated and immediately
Houston Methodist Neurological
surgery. Dr. Reardon is an internationally
contacted Dr. Attar. “He’s the one
Institute National Council. In 2013, the
acclaimed leader in his field and is the
who recognized that Oscar was having
Elkins Foundation created The Elkins
national surgical principal investigator
a stroke and directed the ambulance
Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiac
for the REPRISE III clinical trial inves-
to Houston Methodist,” recalls Lynn.
Health in honor of Dr. William A. Zoghbi.
tigating high-risk valve replacement.
Dr. Attar met the couple at the emer-
Dr. Zoghbi is a world-renowned cardiol-
The chair is the second established
gency room and oversaw Oscar ’s
ogist, trustee and past president of the
by the Allisons, who gave generously
treatment and recovery. He survived the
American College of Cardiologists, who
to create the Michael E. DeBakey
stroke, and six years later the Wyatts
has revolutionized the field of cardiology
Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Surgery
gave a generous gift to Houston
through his development of advanced
held by Dr. Gerald Lawrie. Besides their
Methodist to establish the Lynn and
imaging techniques. His recent inven-
longtime history of giving to the Houston
Oscar Wyatt Jr. Chair in Cardiology in
tion of the OmniScope , a handheld
Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular
honor of Mohammed Attar, MD. The gift
imaging and patient testing device,
Center and heart programs, Mr. Allison
is dedicated to training the next generation
attracted a major medical technology
serves on the Senior Cabinet of the
of physicians through support of an
company, which has a licensing agree-
new President’s Leadership Council and
annual interventional cardiology fellowship.
ment to develop the tool commercially.
the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart
Dr. Attar is the inaugural chair holder.
Dr. Zoghbi’s work is a prime example
& Vascular Center Council.
®
of Houston Methodist’s emphasis on medical innovation to tackle today’s health care challenges.
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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation