Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Annual Report 2020

2020

HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER

2020

ANNUAL REPORT

C ON TEN TS LE T T E R FR O M C E O

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A Y E A R L IKE N O OTH E R

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PA N DE M IC T IM E LI N E

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INFE CT IO US DISE ASE S

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C OVID -19 HE R OE S

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C O M M U N IT Y GI V I N G

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C 3 C HAIR S

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C 3 C HAIR HO L D E R S

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N E W FR O N T IE R

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M AKING A M IR AC LE

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ST R O KE D E T E CTI O N

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G IFT FR O M T HE H E A RT

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U NTANGL IN G IB D

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CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE

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A S PAC E TO HE A L

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H A N DS O F GO LD

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M O SA IC M AST ER P I E C E S

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N AT U R A L E L E M E N T

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B L E S S IN GS

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R E BE L WIT H A CAU SE

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G R AT E FU L PAT I E N T

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FA M ILY CAL L ING

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S E N S E O F C O M M U N I TY

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M E N O F HO NO R

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PHILANTHROPIC PRODIGY 54 THE S O C IE T Y

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44

18

50

32

52

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56

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CELLULAR THERAPEUTICS 5 8 INNOVAT IV E T EC H

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TR I

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YE A R IN R E VIE W

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CAM PA IGN L E T T E R

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LE A DE R S HIP

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LETTER FROM OUR CHAIR

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UNPRECEDENTED. It was as if this was the word of the year in 2020, defined by the coronavirus pandemic and the horrific toll that COVID-19 took on all of us. It’s worth remembering, however, that Houston Methodist began more than 100 years ago amid another scourge. Just as our city — and the country — recovered from the deadly influenza outbreak, I am confident we will emerge from the current crisis.

Despite the outbreak, 2020 was a year of celebration, as we surpassed our goal for the Leading Medicine to the Power of M: Campaign for Our Second Century, anchored by two transformational gifts: $21 million from the Jerold B. Katz Foundation, the largest gift to date to the Houston Methodist Academic Institute, and $101 million from Rusty and Paula Walter and the Walter Oil & Gas Corporation, the largest commitment in the history of Houston Methodist.

We are reminded of the impact of these families — as well as the nearly 15,000 Campaign contributors — whenever a patient enters any one of our 316 front doors, or whenever a clinician or scientist makes a promising new discovery that makes life better for our patients — or benefits any patient around the world.

Thanks, also, to the synergy among our researchers, physicians and front-line workers — due in large part to you, our generous benefactors — we had the systems in place to begin understanding the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus as soon as cases of COVID-19 began showing up in the United States. Houston Methodist was the first hospital in the country to use convalescent plasma as a treatment for critically ill patients, and we were among the first to publish peer-reviewed studies sharing what we learned about the differences between the first and second surges.

Your investments in our Infectious Diseases Research Fund created the foundation for our Center for Infectious Diseases, which is ramping up not only to fight COVID-19 on multiple fronts but also to prepare for future outbreaks of other viruses. As

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we fought back surge after surge of COVID-19, our staff felt supported by your outpouring of donated meals, heartfelt cards and social media posts, and gifts to the COVID-19 Front Line Heroes Appreciation Program. The pages that follow express our deepest gratitude for how strongly you have stood alongside us during this battle throughout this “year like no other.”

As in-person meetings became impractical because we had to maintain social distancing, we turned to the DeBakey CV Education Studio to communicate with our friends, partners and stakeholders. Built in October 2019 thanks to the generosity of the DeBakey Medical Foundation, the studio’s primary purpose is for doctors in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center to broadcast their vast knowledge to the world.

During the pandemic, it is providing a welcome platform

from which hospital leaders and I can share the latest information about COVID-19.

In our past issue, we celebrated Houston Methodist’s first 100 years. Our 101st year saw us harnessing technology like never before. Virtual visits with physicians skyrocketed, and we installed iPads in every room to keep patients and their families connected thanks to several generous philanthropists. We also designed and shared with other hospitals plexiglass intubation containers and mobile isolation booths that protect physicians and nurses during aerosol-generating procedures while conserving valuable personal protective equipment.

COVID-19 disrupted our lives like few things we’ve ever seen. Thanks to your ongoing support, we are making groundbreaking discoveries and adding

more effective treatments to our arsenal every day.

While we continue to live in unprecedented times, my hope is that a different word comes to mind when thinking about Houston Methodist and the impact you have made for our patients:

UNPARALLELED.

MARC BOOM, MD PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER HOUSTON METHODIST powerofm.org

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THE NEW YORK

TIMES

As coronavir us cases surg ed in Texas summer, H this ouston Met hodist Hosp opened one ital intensive ca re unit after another for the most cr itically ill.

first was one of the st di ho et M on ma Houst y to provide plas tr un co e th in s site ts.

OVID-19 patien treatments to C B S E RV E R

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TEXAS O

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER 2020 was a year like no other, defined by the coronavirus pandemic. Houston Methodist treated our first COVID-19 patient March 6, and the community grappled with the full scope of the pandemic. Houston and Harris County officials declared a health emergency and urged residents to “Stay Home, Work Safe.”

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was canceled.

Daycares closed, and schools sent their students home. Working remotely and virtual meetings were the new normal for approximately 4,000 Houston Methodist employees, while others shifted their responsibilities to care for an influx of COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19’s economic impact hit Houston hard.

Businesses shuttered as crude oil demand and prices plummeted. According to the Texas Workforce Commission, Houston’s upstream energy industry lost nearly one in six jobs during 2020. The metro region’s unemployment rate more than doubled from 3.6% in December 2019 to 8% in December 2020, causing many patients to lose employer-sponsored health insurance.

2020 was also a tumultuous year in national affairs. The killing of George Floyd thrust the Black Lives Matter movement into a global spotlight and spurred social justice demonstrations across the U.S. The nation was further polarized by a contentious presidential election.

Amid the tumult, Houston Methodist was a beacon of resilience. Telemedicine visits skyrocketed from 40 per day before the pandemic to more than 2,000 per day by March 2020 — an increase of 4,900%. Houston Methodist was the first hospital in the U.S. to treat patients with convalescent plasma.

We’ve since taken part in 38 COVID-19 clinical trials and became a leader in monoclonal antibody therapy.

Our innovative accomplishments landed us in the media spotlight nationally and internationally. Stories about our scientific discoveries using plasma therapy and our clinical trial of the antiviral drug remdesivir

reached audiences in the billions. Our medical experts were quoted in news outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, CNN and NPR. Houston Methodist President and CEO Dr. Marc L. Boom was at the forefront, advising state and local government officials. Thanks to his strong leadership, we avoided mass layoffs, involuntary furloughs and pay cuts. Implementing top safety measures, Dr. Boom helped us maintain or return to full operations whenever possible.

An outpouring of philanthropic support made our great strides possible, and you’ll read some of these stories in the pages that follow. A total of 1,821 employees and donors supported our COVID-19 Front Line Heroes Appreciation Program through gifts of cash and paid time off. We received over 1,500 in-kind donations of personal protective equipment and meals for our clinical staff from organizations and individuals.

Over 570 benefactors made gifts to help us launch the Houston Methodist Infectious Diseases Collaborative and to create the Center for Infectious Diseases Research. Our ultimate goal is to establish a Center of Excellence in Infectious Diseases, which will be a comprehensive diagnostic, treatment, research and education center.

We have administered more than 1 million vaccines at Houston Methodist and treated 25,465 COVID-19 related hospitalized in-patients as of Dec. 1, 2021.

We learned so much so quickly in battling COVID-19, but our work doesn’t stop here. In addition to using what we’ve learned from our research discoveries in our efforts to establish the Center of Excellence in Infectious Diseases, we have launched a recovery clinic for discharged COVID-19 “long haulers” who continue to have lingering health issues.

Above all, we will continue to keep our patients at the center of everything we do. powerofm.org

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MEDICINE

LEADING

2020

MARCH

THROUGH

COVID-19

4 — Confirmed COVID-19 case in Fort Bend County is the first in Houston area 5 — First positive COVID-19 test result at Houston Methodist 11 — WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic 13 — President Trump declares COVID-19 a national emergency

JANUARY 21 — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms first U.S. COVID-19 case 31 — The World Health Organization issues global health emergency

FEBRUARY 3 — U.S. declares public health emergency 27 — “Although there are no reported cases of the coronavirus, COVID-19, in the Houston area, there is growing concern in our community about the new virus. . .

Right now, the disease’s spread outside of China has been limited, but we have begun to see other countries with significant numbers of cases. It is still too early to tell how far the coronavirus will spread globally or for how long. Regardless, at Houston Methodist we are prepared if a potential coronavirus patient arrives at any of our EDs.” – Dr. Marc Boom, Houston Methodist president and CEO, president’s letter

APRIL

“So far, as of yesterday, we’ve transfused four patients,” says Dr. James Musser on convalescent plasma transfusions already completed.

WIRED MAGAZINE 4-3-2020

17 — Town Hall Conversation I with Dr. Marc Boom

19 — More than 1,000 virtual urgent care and telemedicine MyChart visits occurred for the second day in a row, and the new virtual ICU now assists providers monitoring COVID-19 patients (see page 40) 28 — Houston Methodist becomes the first academic medical center in the nation to infuse critically ill COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma

HOUSTON METHODIST TESTING TREND

5 — First #GivingTuesdayNow international day of philanthropy supporting COVID-19 relief 7 — Town Hall Conversation II with Dr. Marc Boom

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COVID-19 patients 19 — in Houston Methodist hospitals MAY 26, 2020

APRIL 21, 2020

13 — Houston and Harris County issue “Stay Home, Work Safe” order 18 — Infectious Diseases Research Fund matching challenge begins (see page 10)

MAY

Houston Methodist Hospital was the fifth site in the United States to join the clinical trials for remdesivir.

21 — Houston Methodist COVID-19 Front Line Heroes Appreciation Program announced (see page 12) 28 — U.S. surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases

Houston Methodist publishes the first peer-reviewed research in the U.S. on convalescent plasma use for COVID -19 in The American Journal of Pathology

27 — Dr. Marc Boom announces Houston Methodist’s five guiding principles for the remainder of 2020: 1. Houston Methodist will be the safest hospital system in the world.

2. Volumes will be back to normal

by July 1.

3. We’ll achieve at least breakeven by the end of the year.

4. We’ll maintain full operations if we see another COVID-19 surge.

5. We’ll avoid furloughs, layoffs and pay cuts.

JUNE 10 — U.S. surpasses 2 million COVID-19 cases 11 — Town Hall Conversation III with Dr. Marc Boom 19 — Harris County starts mandating all businesses require employees and visitors to wear a mask

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COVID-19 patients 24 — in Houston Methodist hospitals 26 — “The time is now for everybody to dramatically change their behaviors to get this virus under control so that our hospitals are able to handle this.”

–Dr. Marc Boom on NPR 29 — “We are definitely seeing this affect young people, and they’re getting quite ill,” says Dr. Marc Boom, speaking on having about 60% of COVID-19 patients under the age of 50.

– CNBC’s Squawk Box

Orange = Seven-day rolling average of percentage of positive COVID-19 tests Blue = Positive COVID-19 tests

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JULY 3 — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order requiring face coverings goes into effect 7 — U.S. surpasses 3 million COVID-19 cases 11 — “We have learned a lot.

We’ve gotten a lot better.

We have improved a lot.”

– Dr. Faisal Masud on CNN about lessons learned since the first surge

AUGUST 9 — U.S. surpasses 5 million COVID-19 cases

11 — Town Hall Conversation VI with Dr. Marc Boom

10 — “Inside the Fight to Save Houston’s Most Vulnerable” New York Times reporters and cameras are given exclusive access to the COVID-19 medical ICU at Houston Methodist Hospital

15 — Dr. Eric Salazar was selected

by NBC News as one of 10 Latino health care heroes on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic

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12 — Drs. Eric Salazar and James Musser publish one of the first peer-reviewed publications in the country assessing the efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy 17 — Town Hall Conversation V with Dr. Marc Boom 23 — Convalescent plasma is cleared for the treatment of COVID-19 by the FDA Musser is overseeing the trial of convalescent plasma at Houston Methodist that first reported the reduction in mortality among plasma recipients.

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

3 — Dr. Faisal Masud and Research Institute President and CEO Ed Jones are quoted on the Houston Chronicle’s front page story about President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment

4 — U.S. reports over 100,000 new COVID-19 cases in single day

1 — 200-plus Houston Methodist donors participate in #GivingTuesday in support of the Infectious Diseases Research Fund

[Following President Tru mp's Regeneron antibody treatm ent] “more patients are asking to participate in an antibod y trial.” says Dr. Dirk Sostman.

REUTERS 10.7.2 020

23 — The Washington Post highlights findings from Dr. James Musser’s lab on the largest U.S. genetic study thus far of the COVID-19 virus, documenting 5,085 sequences of the virus that are mutating and potentially evolving amid rapid U.S. spread

14 — Town Hall Conversation VII with Dr. Marc Boom

25 — U.S. surpasses 7 million COVID-19 cases

26 — Dr. Corinna Keenmon discusses signs of mental health problems and strategies to reduce stress as COVID-19 cases climb once again. – Healthline

28 — Global COVID-19 deaths surpass 1 million people

9 — U.S. surpasses 10 million COVID-19 cases

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COVID-19 patients 18 — in Houston Methodist hospitals

150

COVID-19 patients 17 — in Houston Methodist hospitals 18 — Roberta Schwartz and Dr. Faisal Masud speak about ways that Houston Methodist is preparing to treat COVID-19 patients this fall.

– Wall Street Journal

15 — Town Hall Conversation IV with Dr. Marc Boom COVID-19 patients in 15 — Houston Methodist hospitals

SEPTEMBER

16 — U.S. surpasses 8 million COVID-19 cases 22 — FDA approves remdesivir as the first COVID-19 drug treatment

19 — Town Hall Conversation VIII with Dr. Marc Boom

10 — Town Hall Conversation IX with Dr. Marc Boom 11 — FDA granted EUA for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

27 — U.S. surpasses 13 million COVID-19 cases 27 — Dr. Thomas MacGillivray and one of his patients, Thomas Steele, share Mr. Steele’s severe COVID-19 experience resulting in a double lung transplant — the first performed at Houston Methodist and one of a handful in Texas.

– Houston Chronicle

15 — First Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine administered by Houston Methodist 27 — U.S. surpasses 19 million COVID-19 cases

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COVID-19 patients in 31 — Houston Methodist hospitals 31 – “Campaign for Our Second Century” concludes two years early, surpassing goal (see page 64)

TIME MAGAZINE AUGUST 24

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IDRF

INFECTIOUS DISEASES RESEARCH FUNDS I AND II

As a hospital founded over a century ago to serve a city ravaged by the Spanish flu, Houston Methodist was destined to take a leading role in the COVID-19 response. Like the hospital’s early days, philanthropic visionaries played a pivotal role in making it possible for Houston Methodist’s front-line workers to provide lifesaving care.

When the pandemic erupted in March 2020, three longtime Houston Methodist supporters — Ann and John Bookout III, Diane and David Modesett and the Jerold B. Katz Foundation — created a Challenge Initiative to support the Houston Methodist Infectious Diseases Research Fund (IDRF). They offered to match gifts dollar for dollar.

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

Through this act of generosity, physician leaders developed innovative COVID-19 therapies and clinical practices and set the stage for Houston Methodist to lead in the fight against COVID-19 and future disease outbreaks.

“In the midst of the chaos, Houston Methodist President and CEO Dr. Marc Boom and his team were methodical and coolheaded,” says David Modesett. “They had a plan in place and were already working on it. Diane and I wanted to find a way to say, ‘You’re doing a great job, and we have confidence in you.’”

The challenge goal was reached within two weeks. Spurred by this overwhelming response,

the Modesetts, Freeport LNG, and the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation established a second Challenge Initiative — meeting their goal in even less time than the first Challenge. To date, generous benefactors have given more than $8.3 million to support IDRF. And as board chair of the Houston Methodist Academic Institute, John Bookout III not only contributed but also spearheaded fundraising efforts for IDRF. With the research dollars in place, Houston Methodist’s team conducted multiple clinical trials on COVID-19 therapies. The team rapidly translated their scientific findings into better treatments that benefited patients and impacted the disease response nationwide.

IDRF I Challenge Fund Contributors Ann and John Bookout III Jerold B. Katz Foundation Diane and David Modesett

Houston Methodist’s highlights include: • Became the first academic medical center in the nation to receive FDA approval to transfuse donated plasma from a recovered COVID-19 patient into a critically ill patient.

• Served as the only site in Houston (and among the first five nationwide) to test the use of the antiviral drug remdesivir on severely ill COVID-19 patients.

• Developed new aerosol containment units to help physicians safely perform procedures like intubation and bronchoscopy.

• Built the largest COVID-19 genome sequencing operation in the country.

Building on IDRF’s momentum, Houston Methodist launched the Infectious Diseases Initiative under the leadership of Dr. James Musser, the Fondren Presidential Distinguished

Chair in the Houston Methodist Research Institute and a worldrenowned infectious diseases expert.

Through a combination of philanthropic and institutional support, this ambitious multiyear project aims to recruit top talent in the field and model a new modern infectious disease surveillance and rapid response infrastructure.

With advanced disease surveillance, new outbreaks could be detected at an earlier stage, containment protocols implemented, genomic sequencing performed to identify variants, and new therapies rapidly developed and put into clinical trials. The visionaries who launched IDRF set in motion the first phase of innovative research, testing, treatment, data analytics and community engagement that could save countless lives during the next pandemic or even prevent a future infectious disease outbreak.

IDRF I Top Matching Contributors Dorothy and Mickey Ables Anonymous (4) Tommy Barras Carolyn and John Bookout Drs. Julie and Marc Boom Jackie and Robert Callies Cam and Rod Canion Catherine S. Del Paggio and Thomas H. Padgett, Jr. Melinda and Dennis Eason Angelica M. Garza and Richard Sepulveda Rebecca Hall Brenda Hartman Healthcare Source/David Wilkins Linda and Charles R. Houssiere III Ed and Lynn Jones John and Suzanne Landa Betsy and Marc Levinson Jim and Carole Walter Looke Lance and Kate Murphy Jeanne and Joe Bob Perkins Sherman Foundation Sue Smith Dr. H. Dirk Sostman Donald and Cynthia Stevenson Lynda K. Underwood Virene Family Mrs. Martha S. Walton Kay and Ewing Werlein, Jr. Dr. Amy S. Wright IDRF II Challenge Fund Contributors Freeport LNG Diane and David Modesett Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation IDRF II Top Matching Contributors Alexander Family Charitable Fund Ramona Alms and Gary Burrows Aramco Americas Linda and John Barrett Drs. Merle and Patricia Barth Michael and Karen Brisch Judy and Jimmy Britton

Molly and Allen Brivic The Chartis Group Alan and Sharon Chaveleh Dr. John Cooke Ms. Nancy M. Cowan and Mr. Robert D. Cowan Leslie and Ann Doggett Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Dujka Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation (EHTF) Clara and Mauricio Fabre Karen and Jonathan Finger Mr. and Mrs. Walter G. Finger Rigo and Araceli L. Flores Steve Fung and I-Ling Chen Herb and Mary Goodman Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Grivetti David Harris The Hearst Foundations William L. Henning, Jr. Hoar Construction Ingming and Yunhua Jeng The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation Karen and Jim Johnson The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation David Kasper Ms. Barbara J. Kauffman Linda and George Kelly Mr. Albert Laverty Andrea and Ken Letkeman Rodney and Judy Margolis Mr. Harvey Michaels Elisabeth and Ron Millard Steven and Sheila Miller Marcia and Jack Modesett, Jr. Dawn Nelson Raymond James & Associates Isla and Tommy Reckling Alecia and Kevin Rister The Rotary Club of Friendswood Rotary International Baytown Mary Eliza and Park Shaper Shipley Do-Nuts/ Mr. Lawrence Shipley III Ginny and L.E. Simmons Ms. Tamara Smith Anne and Taft Symonds Pepper and Gigi Carlita Taneja Ms. Elizabeth C. Walter Paula and Rusty Walter Margie Wedemeyer Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Paul and Patti Yetter Eve Zhao

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COVID-19

HEROES

At the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, Houston Methodist frontline workers demonstrated courage, unity, commitment and resilience in the face of adversity that made the Greater Houston community proud and inspired people everywhere.

These trying times also brought out the best in the community, with an outpouring of generosity to express gratitude to the medical and support staff who — almost two years later — are still fighting to save the lives of critically ill COVID-19 patients.

The Houston Methodist COVID-19 Front Line Heroes Appreciation Program raised more than $2.7 million to provide roughly 5,000 front-line staff — including nurses, respiratory therapists, health care assistants and sanitation

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

workers — with a

paid day off and a

$100 bonus to treat their families to a “Meal on Us.” To recipients, it was more than a welcome benefit. It was a touching and morale-boosting recognition of their efforts.

“It feeds my soul to be appreciated,” says Sandy Poffinbarger, a nurse on Main 8, the first COVID-19 floor. Poffinbarger was born at Houston Methodist, as were her three children, and she cannot imagine working anywhere else.

“I can earn a paycheck anywhere, but I cannot make more time,” she says. “I’m glad to give my finite amount of time to this institution.”

The front-line heroes worked extra shifts, adapted and innovated

to deal with rapidly changing circumstances. They put themselves on the front lines against a deadly virus and coped with the associated mental health stresses, all while never compromising Houston Methodist’s unparalleled standards of quality and safety.

The generosity in honoring these historic efforts came in many forms. Gifts from more than 140 community benefactors totaled $1.7 million, thanks in part to a challenge fund established by Wendy and Ben Moreland, Mary and Ron Neal, the Jerold B. Katz Foundation, The Astros Foundation, Pat and Steve Chazen, Christine and David Underwood, and Great Southwest Paper Co. to match gifts to the COVID-19 Front Line Heroes Appreciation Program.

“This virus is like a hurricane without the rain,” says Twila Carter, executive director and senior vice president of community relations for The Astros Foundation. “In a hurricane, everyday heroes rescue people from floodwaters. In this COVID-19 storm, the Houston Methodist team keeps people healthy and saves lives. We were glad to do our small part.”

Support from within the hospital was also impressive, with Houston Methodist President and CEO Dr. Marc Boom donating the proceeds of his endowed chair position. In addition, more than 1,600 Houston Methodist physicians, scientists and staff contributed more than $1 million, including 10,000 hours of donated paid time off. Six employees donated 80 hours, or 10 vacation days each, to their colleagues on the front lines.

The leadership and example of Dr. Stanley H. Appel was pivotal in rallying support among Houston Methodist physicians, who not only exempted themselves from receiving any benefits from the appreciation program but also donated generously.

“Houston Methodist is the best because we have the best team in health care,” says Dr. Appel, the Peggy and Gary Edwards Distinguished Chair in ALS Research, chair of the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, director of the Ann Kimball and John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics at Houston Methodist, and professor of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College. “As physicians, we are privileged to work alongside such talented and committed nurses and support staff. In a time of crisis, they stepped up for our patients.”

Messages of Appreciation from Front-Line Heroes

Contributor Listing

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Click on the notification that appears, which will take you directly to the webpage.

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COMMUNITY GIFTS LIFT SPIRITS

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, unique gifts — from hot meals, fresh produce and baked goods to vehicles, face masks and murals — have uplifted front-line workers at Houston Methodist.

Hundreds of businesses, individuals, churches and organizations have found valuable and creative ways to support the teams who dedicate their lives to compassionate patient care. In the first few months of the pandemic, more than 200,000 items were donated, including 150,000 masks, 40,000 pairs of gloves, 1,000

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

overalls, 900 face shields, 11,150 meals, 2,000 cases of water, gallons of hand sanitizer, phone chargers, wheelchairs and more.

“The community came together to support our front-line workers in practical, meaningful ways, and we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone,” says Dr. Marc Boom, president and CEO of Houston Methodist.

Helfman Motors-River Oaks Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram donated a 2020 Dodge ProMaster City van, which Houston Methodist fleet manager John Walters immediately made available for use by the staff.

The hospital’s leadership is grateful to Renee and Alan Helfman and Hillary and Blake Helfman for their generosity.

Clare Casademont and Michael Metz, plus more than 75 friends at Vitol — an international energy and commodities company with offices in Houston — contributed $76,000 in meals to encourage Houston Methodist staff during the pandemic.

Recognizing that many health care workers caring for COVID-19 patients had no time to shop for groceries, the Produce Alliance Foundation — with local distributor Brothers Produce — brought 650 boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables to nurses and workers in nutrition, hospitality and environmental services.

The fresh produce brought some relief and peace of mind to environmental services worker Rahel Tesema. “I have four kids, and my husband had lost his job,” she says. “This is wonderful, especially with my kids at home.” She planned to use the produce to cook for her family on a rare day off.

Daisy Izaguirre, a registered nurse at Houston Methodist, is just one of many workers who has taken on extra shifts during the pandemic, and she picked up a box of donated produce at the end of a long day.

“It makes me feel like I’m important, that I haven’t been forgotten,” Izaguirre says. “It takes such a load off.”

Husband-and-wife team Margie van Elten and Fitzgerald “Joe” Blommaert found an artistic

way to honor those who lost their lives during COVID-19 and to pay tribute to the health care heroes who fought so hard to save lives.

The couple made a lead gift to fund an immersive hanging sculpture at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital. The artwork will foster a soothing and introspective environment at the hospital.

The sculpture, which will be named the Charles van Elten COVID-19 Memorial Sculpture, memorializes van Elten’s father. It will serve as testament to his love for the arts.

“My dad understood the healing power of the arts in a health care environment, and we wanted to share his passion with all those who enter the hospital doors,” says van Elten. “This sculpture will also represent the strength we have built together during a profound time in our history.”

Listing of Gifts-in-Kind Donors

PPE Donors

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The Health & Nature Chair The Health & Nature Chair

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

C Chairs 3

About Centennial Chairs

A $101 million gift from Paula and Rusty Walter in 2017 recognized Houston Methodist’s century of service. This transformational gift became a central part of the Leading Medicine to the Power of M: Campaign for Our Second Century. A portion of the philanthropic commitment created the Walter Centennial Chair Challenge (C³) that helps support, recruit and retain the most brilliant physicians and scientists in the world. The C³ challenge contributed a $500,000 match toward a total of 54 new endowments of $1 million or more to establish an endowed chair. The endowed chairs are awarded to Houston Methodist’s most prestigious scientists and clinical faculty. The chairs also provide financial support for research, teaching and clinical care programs. By the end of 2020, the Walter Centennial Chair Challenge helped bring the total number of chairs to 110 — surpassing the goal of having 100 endowed chairs by Houston Methodist’s 100-year anniversary.

Judith Helmle Shaw and Roy Gordon Shaw Jr. Centennial Chair in Urology Supporters: JUDITH HELMLE SHAW AND ROY GORDON SHAW JR. This is the first chair established by Judith Helmle Shaw and Roy Gordon Shaw Jr. and was the second endowed chair established in support of the Houston Methodist Department of Urology. This commitment will help recruit and retain a leader in the Department of Urology. The Shaws are Lifetime Members of The Society for Leading Medicine and have previously supported Dr. Brian J. Miles’ prostate cancer research. One of the Department of Urology’s founding faculty members, Dr. Miles also established the Men’s Health Center at Houston Methodist. The Department of Urology offers cutting-edge urological treatments and advanced research — delivering care in a compassionate, patient-focused environment. Urology specialists have access to the latest technology, which allows them to provide minimally invasive surgical options — including robotic surgery — to treat urinary tract conditions such as urinary incontinence and urologic cancers when needed.

Dr. and Mrs. Alan L. Kaplan Centennial Chair in Cellular Therapeutics and Organ Bioengineering Supporters: ANONYMOUS Established with an anonymous gift, this Centennial Chair is named after Dr. Alan L. Kaplan and his wife Cissie, who are longtime benefactors of Houston Methodist. This gift honors innovative philanthropists, Cissie and Alan, who themselves established funds in obstetrics and gynecology, cancer and cardiology. The Dr. and Mrs. Alan L. Kaplan Centennial Chair in Cellular Therapeutics and Organ Bioengineering will support organ rejuvenation and restoration research in the Houston Methodist Department of Surgery. This chair will support the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center’s goal of making organ transplants obsolete by restoring diseased or damaged organs to full health using precision, regenerative and restorative medicine. The anonymous supporter also has contributed to obstetrics and gynecology, neurological restoration, cancer and transplant medicine.

Everett E. and Randee K. Bernal Centennial Chair for the Neurological Institute Supporters: EVERETT E. AND RANDEE K. BERNAL This Centennial Chair was established by Everett E. and Randee K. Bernal to support an endowed position in the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute. The Bernals are Lifetime Members of The Society for Leading Medicine and serve on the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute National Council. They are also dedicated neurosurgery research supporters, establishing the Regenerative and Restorative Neurosurgery Fund.

Additionally, the couple made contributions to the Collaboration Fund for Schizophrenia Research and Spark Grant gifts to Dr. Philip Horner’s laboratory and cancer immunotherapy research. They are Translational Research Initiative (TRI I and TRI II) Founding Members. The couple supported continuing education for nurses through the Randee and Everett Bernal Nursing Education Endowment.

Selected Additional Centennial Chairs Created in 2020 St. Francis of Assisi Centennial Chair in Immunology (see page 44) Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson and Donald E. Stevenson Chair in Health & Nature in honor of Dr. Robert E. Jackson (see page 42) powerofm.org

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Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

C Chairholders 3

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.

While department leaders are actively working to fill the open positions with the most accomplished physicians and scientists, the 28 Centennial positions filled at the end of 2020 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 Centennial positions, these physicians, physician-scientists and researchers have a stable, long-term financial resource to support the holder’s research and education programs. Endowed positions — which may be awarded as a chair, leadership chair, directorship, or clinical academic scholar or clinician, or another title — not only bring greatly valued financial resources but also bring great honor and prestige to the endowed position holder.

We look forward to highlighting this collective group of individuals known as the Walter College of Centennial Chairs in the coming years.

Marc L. Boom, MD

Ella Fondren and Josie Roberts Presidential Distinguished Centennial Chair Supporter: Anonymous Dr. Boom is president and CEO of Houston Methodist. In 2020, he directed endowment resources to support the Houston Methodist COVID-19 Front Line Heroes Appreciation Program, which raised more than $2.7 million to provide roughly 5,000 Houston Methodist staff on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19 with a paid day off and a $100 bonus to treat their families to a “Meal on Us.” Dr. Boom believed donating the endowment’s proceeds to support the hardworking staff caring for COVID-19 patients was in keeping with the spirit of the two strong leaders for whom the position was named. Ella Fondren spent more than four decades devoted to The Methodist Hospital’s growth, serving on the board. Josie Roberts dedicated 30 years of leadership to The Methodist Hospital, guiding the hospital through bad times and good. Since 2012, Dr. Boom has carried on a similar spirit.

Timothy B. Boone, MD, PhD Craig C. Brown and Suzanne H. Smith Centennial Chair in Medical Education at Houston Methodist Supporters: Craig Brown and Sue Smith Dr. Boone is a professor in the Department of Urology and director of Education for the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. He oversees Houston Methodist’s Graduate Medical Education — residents, fellows, postdoctoral students, medical students and other trainees — and Continuing Education Programs.

He is associate dean for both Texas A&M University College of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medical College. Resources from the endowment support the Engineering Medicine Program (EnMed) program, a collaboration among the Texas A&M University Colleges of Medicine and Engineering and Houston Methodist for students earning degrees in both engineering and medicine. By establishing the Brown-Smith Centennial EnMed Lectureship, the endowment will bring leading biomedical engineers, physician-scientists and researchers to inform and inspire EnMed students.

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Gavin W. Britz, MBBCH, MBA, MPH, FAANS

Candy and Tom Knudson Distinguished Centennial Chair in Neurosurgery in honor of Gavin W. Britz, MD Supporters: Candy and Tom Knudson Dr. Britz is chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, director of the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute and co-director of the Center for Neuroregeneration. Building on Houston Methodist’s legacy of excellence and trailblazing innovation in neurology and neurosurgery, Dr. Britz leads cutting-edge investigations in neuroregeneration and neuroprosthetics while also launching a one-of-a-kind continuing education resource for neurosurgeons at every stage of their careers. Endowment resources support Dr. Britz’s pioneering work in treating hemorrhagic stroke and ruptured aneurysms.

Jeffrey Friedman, MD

Cathy and Ed Frank Centennial Chair in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Supporters: Cathy and Ed Frank Dr. Friedman is division chief of reconstructive surgery in the Department of Surgery at Houston Methodist. He and the division’s surgeons are committed to training the next generation of reconstructive surgeons, and resources from the endowment help support the Plastic Surgery Residency Program. Resident physicians are active in research — working under department faculty, publishing papers and presenting at conferences — and clinical care, where they learn the most advanced surgical techniques and procedures.

Alessandro Grattoni, PhD

Frank J. and Jean Raymond Centennial Chair in Medical Education Supporters: Frank and Jean Raymond Dr. Grattoni is chair of the Houston Methodist Department of Nanomedicine. He leads research teams focused on developing new, personalized drug delivery platforms designed to deliver precise dosages directly to targeted cells and tissues. Dr. Grattoni invented the nanochannel delivery system, an implantable device to regulate drug release with applicability to the treatment of a wide range of chronic diseases, from diabetes to HIV/AIDS. Another project involves an implant that can be controlled remotely, allowing clinicians to adjust medication levels based on patients’ ability to receive precision health care in the comfort of their own homes.

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Charles E. Geyer, MD

Lois E. and Carl A. Davis Centennial Chair in Cancer Research Supporters: Lois and Carl Davis Dr. Geyer is deputy director of the Houston Methodist Cancer Center and director of the Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics at Houston Methodist. He has extensive experience in developing and leading multicenter clinical trials that evaluate the safety and effectiveness of novel breast cancer therapies. To help Houston Methodist achieve National Cancer Institute designation, he is leading efforts to expand the portfolio of translational clinical trials of promising new therapies based on discoveries in the Houston Methodist Research Institute.

Hassan Ibrahim, MD, MS Charles and Anne Duncan Centennial Chair in Nephrology Supporters: Charles and Anne Duncan

Dr. Ibrahim is the chief of nephrology in the Department of Medicine and director of the Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program at Houston Methodist. In addition to clinical care, he is active in education by mentoring nephrology and nephrology transplant fellows and research by studying kidney donation outcomes. By better understanding the long-term consequences of donations from living kidney donors, Dr. Ibrahim aims to establish the safety of kidney donation and expand the pool of potential donors. He is also involved in the design and trial of a novel agent to prevent fibrosis in kidney transplant recipients.

Bita Kash, PhD, MBA Occidental Centennial Chair in Quality and Outcomes Research Supporter: Occidental Dr. Kash is director of the Center for Outcomes Research (COR) at Houston Methodist and co-director of the Center for Health & Nature, a partnership among Houston Methodist, Texas A&M University and Texan

By Nature. COR’s mission is to improve health outcomes — especially for diverse and vulnerable patient populations — by designing, testing, validating and implementing innovations in health care delivery. Dr. Kash’s endowed position has supported a study evaluating the effectiveness of Houston Methodist’s Community Scholars Program, which provides specialty care to underserved populations.

Richard Knight, MD

Nicole Mary Follansbee Centennial Chair in the J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center Supporters: Janet M. and Kenneth G. Follansbee Dr. Knight is the director of Renal and Pancreas Transplantation at the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center and the surgical director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation in the Department of Surgery.

His research focuses on improving the long-term outcomes of pancreas transplant recipients and achieving the goal of organ restoration and rejuvenation. His projects include investigating the metabolic consequences of pancreas transplantation and learning how novel immunosuppression protocols can improve long-term transplant survival without the negative side effects and increased risk of infection associated with immunosuppressant medications.

Neal Kleiman, MD

Lois and Carl Davis Centennial Chair II in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Supporters: Lois and Carl Davis Dr. Kleiman is medical director of the cardiac catheterization laboratories at Houston Methodist, now located in state-of-theart facilities in Walter Tower.

He is also director of the Interventional Cardiology Residency Program in the Department of Cardiology. The endowment has supported Dr. Kleiman’s outcomes research and database development and analysis for transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a new procedure designed to replace open heart surgery in patients who develop narrowing of the aortic valve.

Xian C. Li, MD, PhD

Max and Lillie Frosch Centennial Chair in Transplant Research Supporters: Anonymous Dr. Li is director of the Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center and vice chair of research in the Department of Surgery at Houston Methodist.

Dr. Li and his team are focused on uncovering the fundamental mechanisms of transplant rejection and transplant tolerance.

His goal is to develop new and innovative therapies to reprogram the immune system for long-term transplant survival, so transplant patients can live longer and fuller lives with their new organs without having to take lifelong immunosuppression drugs.

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Shari Liberman, MD

Henrietta and Terence Hall Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Orthopedic Surgery Supporters: Henri and Terry Hall Dr. Liberman is associate professor of clinical orthopedic surgery and associate director of the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program at Houston Methodist. Resources from the endowment help support the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program, keeping Houston Methodist a magnet for promising new orthopedic talent. Young resident physicians learn Houston Methodist’s I CARE values and ethos of compassionate care as well as the latest surgical techniques from orthopedic faculty. Residents also pursue research, contribute to peer-reviewed publications and present at conferences.

Faisal Masud, MD

Mary A. and M. Samuel Daffin, Sr. Centennial Chair in Anesthesia and Critical Care Supporters: Mary and Sam Daffin Dr. Masud is medical director for the Houston Methodist Center for Critical Care and oversees the system’s intensive care units (ICUs). Dr. Masud’s vision is to explore and introduce advances in critical care medicine by focusing on research, education and innovation that will standardize advances in treatments to benefit patients and the community. His leadership has resulted in great improvements in critical care medicine and led to national industry recognition in patient care. During the pandemic, Dr. Masud has been interviewed on local and national news, showcasing Houston Methodist’s thought leadership on COVID-19 brain and lung health treatments.

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Alok Madan, PhD, MPH John S. Dunn Foundation Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Behavioral Health Supporter: John S. Dunn Foundation

Dr. Madan, vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry, focuses on outcomes measurement and the connection between mental health and the gut microbiome. With support from the endowment, his team has designed a digital, patientreported outcomes platform to better monitor patient symptoms while also collecting data that will help identify gut-based biomarkers of mental health. Data collection in support of this effort is ongoing in the outpatient setting, with plans to expand to the inpatient setting in January 2022. He has created the first-ofits-kind postdoctoral fellowship in Psychiatric Microbiology; the first fellow begins her two-year tenure November 2021.

Brian Miles, MD

Centennial Chair in Urologic Oncology Supporters: Elsie Landram Layton Revocable Trust Dr. Miles’ clinical and research efforts are focused on the treatment of prostate cancer.

He is collaborating with Dr. Dale Hamilton to study novel mitochondrial abnormalities that trigger aggressive prostate tumors, research that could lead to new treatment avenues. Dr. Miles is also at the forefront of another promising treatment, focal therapy, that may allow for targeted treatment without damaging healthy prostate tissue.

Endowment resources help provide research coordination, data management and laboratory support for these projects.

Charles R. Millikan, DMin

Dr. Ronny W. and Ruth Ann Barner Centennial Chair in Spiritual Care Supporters: Anonymous Dr. Millikan is vice president for Spiritual Care and Values Integration at Houston Methodist. He leads a spiritual care team who ensures Houston Methodist’s ethos of faith and compassionate care is innovative, inclusive and relevant to evolving needs while staying rooted in the timeless truths of the human soul. The endowment has supported a new chaplain position devoted exclusively to the spiritual care needs of Houston Methodist’s employees. This was a first for Houston Methodist and has proven vital during the COVID-19 pandemic in helping hospital staff cope with stress.

Steven M. Petak, MD, JD, MACE, FACP

Charles and Anne Duncan Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Endocrinology Supporters: Charles and Anne Duncan Dr. Petak serves as the division head of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Houston Methodist Hospital. He is an endocrinology and metabolic bone specialist in the Department of Medicine and associate professor of clinical medicine at the Houston Methodist Academic Institute.

He is also a metabolic bone consultant to NASA- JSC. The endowment resources will help Houston Methodist, ranked among the top hospitals in endocrinology and diabetes by U.S. News & World Report, continue to lead in diabetes care and innovation by supporting endocrinology fellows and residents and their research activities.

Eric Peden, MD

J.C. “Rusty” Walter III Centennial Chair in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Supporter: Elizabeth C. Walter Dr. Peden is chief of vascular surgery and director of the Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency and Fellowship Programs in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery.

His research focuses on dialysis access surgery, advanced venous disease and arterial occlusive disease (blockage and narrowing of the arteries). The endowment supports the research and academic pursuits of the vascular surgery residents. His plans include using the chair funds to help support a new postdoctoral translational research fellowship for vascular surgery.

Kenneth Podell, PhD

John M. O’Quinn Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Concussion Research and Care Supporter: The John M. O’Quinn Foundation Dr. Podell is associate professor of clinical neurology and director of the Houston Methodist Concussion Center. He also serves as the neuropsychologist consultant for the Houston Texans, Houston Astros and Rice University. Under Dr. Podell’s leadership, the Houston Methodist Concussion Center has become the region’s leading multispecialty concussion care hub by emphasizing innovative research, telehealth and community outreach to improve concussion safety and mental health among youth and high school athletes in the Houston area.

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Miguel Quinones, MD

Winters Family Distinguished Centennial Chair in Cardiovascular Education in honor of Christopher, William and Scott Winters Supporters: Barbara and William L. Winters Jr., MD Dr. Quinones is a pioneer in the field of echocardiography, previously serving as chair of the Department of Cardiology in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center.

He now serves as editor-in-chief of the Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal, succeeding the late Dr. William L. Winters Jr. By publishing high-quality scholarly articles, the journal enhances Houston Methodist’s reputation in cardiovascular innovation and education. Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal is published both in print and online.

The endowment is used to support staffing needs, educational research and costs associated with its new website.

Randolph H. Steadman, MD, MS

Carole Walter Looke Centennial Chair in Anesthesia and Critical Care Supporter: Elizabeth C. Walter Dr. Steadman joined Houston Methodist in 2020 as chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care. He joins Houston Methodist from UCLA Health, where he worked for 25 years with roles as vice chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and as chief of service for liver transplantation.

His research activities focus on perioperative care for patients undergoing liver transplantation and on simulation-based training and assessment. The endowment will support the department’s educational mission, including establishing a core residency program in anesthesiology.

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Dipan Shah, MD

Beverly B. and Daniel C. Arnold Distinguished Centennial Chair in the Department of Cardiology in Honor of William L. Winters Jr., MD Supporters: Shadywood Foundation and 61 other generous contributors Dr. Shah is chief of the Division of Cardiovascular (CV) Imaging and director of the Cardiovascular MRI Laboratory at Houston Methodist. Houston Methodist is one of only a few hospitals in the country that brings together all aspects of CV imaging, including echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, vascular ultrasound, cardiovascular CT and cardiovascular MRI. This endowment supports Dr. Shah’s research in using imaging findings as predictors of long-term patient outcomes and connecting imaging results with blood samples to identify potential biomarkers for a precision medicine approach for cardiovascular patients.

Bin S. Teh, MD

Jim and Joan Harrell Centennial Chair in Radiation Oncology Supporter: Joan Harrell Dr. Teh is vice chair and professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and has pioneered various radiotherapy advances to improve cancer care. He leads a new program to harness the combined therapeutic power of immunotherapy and radiation against cancer. Radioimmunotherapy is one of the most promising new approaches in cancer treatment. As part of this initiative, Dr. Teh works to find novel approaches and biomarkers of radioimmunotherapy and to develop shorter, more focused radiation treatments to improve efficacy in both local and distant (abscopal) control, as well as to reduce toxicity.

Farhaan S. Vahidy, PhD, MBBS, MPH, FAHA The Coneway Family Centennial Endowed Directorship in Quality and Outcomes Supporter: The Coneway Family Foundation

Dr. Vahidy is associate director of the Center for Outcomes Research (COR) at Houston Methodist and the COR division chief of Population Health Science and Health Services Research. He is also an associate professor at the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Population Health. He leads the development of data-driven learning health care systems to improve patient experiences and outcomes — especially for vulnerable populations — by implementing evidence-based health care delivery practices. Dr. Vahidy’s work also focuses on studying and minimizing the impact of demographic, social, economic and health system disparities on health outcomes.

John Volpi, MD

The Elkins Family Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Neurology in the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology Supporters: The Elkins Foundation Dr. Volpi is director of the Eddy Scurlock Stroke Center and associate professor of clinical neurology whose research focuses on the management and prevention of ischemic stroke, and the critical care of patients with neurological diseases and improving patient outcomes.

The endowment help supports Dr. Volpi’s projects featuring the development of a facial and speech recognition app to assist clinicians in more quickly and accurately diagnosing a stroke.

An early study demonstrated its effectiveness, and the next step is to integrate imaging data into the app to make it more accurate than existing methods.

Miguel Valderrabano, MD Lois and Carl Davis Centennial Chair I in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Supporters: Lois and Carl Davis

Dr. Valderrabano is division chief of cardiac electrophysiology in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center and director of the optical mapping electrophysiology laboratory.

His research and clinical interests focus on developing more effective treatments for atrial fibrillation, including improved cardiac ablation treatments to correct heart arrhythmias. His projects span basic and translational research to clinical trials. He recently presented findings on an experimental alcohol infusion treatment for cases of atrial fibrillation that could not be treated by conventional methods.

Ben Weinstein, MD

C. James and Carole Walter Looke Presidential Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Behavioral Health Supporters: Carole Walter Looke and C. James Looke III Dr. Weinstein is chair of the Department of Psychiatry and chief of service at Houston Methodist Behavioral Health.

He leads Houston Methodist’s initiative to transform mental health care through education, translational research, clinical innovation and personalized care that focuses on the most complex, treatment-resistant disorders. His research concentrates on finding better treatments for schizophrenia.

His projects include studying the role of inflammation and the gut microbiome in schizophrenia as well as novel immunotherapy treatment protocols for schizophrenia patients.

Qing Yi, MD, PhD

Ralph S. O’Connor Centennial Chair in the Houston Methodist Cancer Center Supporter: Ralph S. O’Connor Dr. Yi is the associate director of Basic Science Research Programs in the Houston Methodist Cancer Center, where he is strengthening research projects in tumor immunotherapy, innovative therapeutics, and cancer prevention and detection. Dr. Yi is also the director for the Center for Translational Research in Hematological Malignancies where he works to improve patient outcomes in cancers affecting the blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes such as leukemia, myeloma and lymphomas. He has recently added four new investigators specializing in hematological malignancies in the Cancer Center. powerofm.org

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A NEW FRONTIER 26

Dedicated community volunteer Bobbie Nau is quick to share her strong love for the people and city of Houston. She also loves the medical services that Houston provides.

“Research is such an important part of the Texas Medical Center and the future growth of our city,” says Nau. This led to her willingness to generously fund the Houston Methodist Orthopedic Cellular Therapy Research Fund in the Ann Kimball and John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics. The fund’s mission is to support the development of cellular therapeutic research for Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine.

Nau’s generous gift was a response to the matching fund initiative established

by Ann and Johnny Johnson to create a cell therapy center at Houston Methodist.

The matching opportunity appealed to Nau, because it doubles the impact of her gift.

It also allows her and other benefactors to support any of the five participating Houston Methodist Centers of Excellence: Cancer Center, DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center, Neurological Institute, and Orthopedics & Sports Medicine.

With applications for almost every major disease, cell therapy is one of the most promising areas of research in modern medicine, including orthopedics. For example, osteoarthritis affects 3 million Americans every year, and potential cell therapies using a patient’s own cells to rejuvenate cartilage tissue could treat and even prevent the development of arthritis.

“Harvesting and activating a patient’s own cells is the next frontier in orthopedic research

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

and treatment,” says Dr. Patrick McCulloch, the John S. Dunn Chair in Orthopedic Surgery and the vice chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine at Houston Methodist.

Translating an orthopedic cellular therapy from the research laboratory to the patient’s bedside requires turning lab discoveries into clinical-grade doses, and that necessitates having a specialized facility.

In the past, Houston Methodist researchers had to use the cell therapy lab at a neighboring institution, adding significant time and expense to projects.

“My hope is Houston Methodist will become a global destination for life-changing orthopedic cell therapies,” says Dr. Kevin Varner, the chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Houston Methodist and assistant professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery. “This is a unique opportunity to not only practice medicine but also to lead medicine.”

This new frontier for orthopedics also offers promise for possible restorative treatments for patients with autoimmune arthritis.

Additionally, cell therapy has the potential to create alternatives for joint replacements and may one day provide new ways to enhance bone regeneration. As the mother of two daughters, Nau says this resonates with her.

Women are more than three times as likely as men to have knee joint replacement and more typically experience osteoporosis and other forms of bone loss.

“These are issues that all women are facing or know someone who is facing,” says Nau. “Men, of course, are also impacted. We will all need orthopedics at some point of our lives.”

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MAKING A MIRACLE

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Place husband-and-wife duo David and Anita Garten into any scenario. Chances are the retired oil and gas executive and the retired economist, respectively, would approach the situation through a pragmatic lens. However, they see miracles in medicine.

It all started in 2012 when a Houston Methodist physician told David Garten that his liver was not functioning properly. In 2016, he was hospitalized due to burst esophageal varices, which are enlarged veins in the esophageal lining. This condition was life threatening. He needed to undergo a risky procedure, which could cause his liver to fail and lead to a liver transplant.

While he was in the hospital, Anita Garten placed her husband on the transplant list. With his liver function appearing above the threshold to receive a transplant and him having a rare blood type, David Garten anticipated a lengthy wait for his new liver. But the perfect storm of events — a viable liver donation for which he was the only exact match — culminated in David Garten receiving a liver transplant in March 2016. His wife says his survival is nothing short of a miracle.

“The physicians at Houston Methodist saved my life, and we experienced an exceptional combination of events,” says David Garten. “If you are inclined to be religious, you could call the events miraculous.

We felt called to give back to the institution that gave me back my life.”

That calling led David and Anita Garten to make a generous commitment in 2019 to support the Transplant Restorative Health and Precision Medicine Fund focused on organ rejuvenation and restoration. For them, the future of transplant rests in this field that could potentially make donor organs viable for longer periods of time.

Organ restoration and rejuvenation could even allow transplant surgeons to remove an organ, revitalize it and return that organ to the body so a patient can have one organ for life.

Dr. A. Osama Gaber, chair of the Department of Surgery, and other physician-scientists in the J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center are researching how to someday make transplants unnecessary through organ rejuvenation and restoration. It is a reality that David and Anita Garten agree can’t come soon enough, citing the American Transplant Foundation’s statistic that notes 20 people in the U.S. die each day waiting for a transplant.

“When you think of the number of people who die waiting for a transplant, you realize all the lives that could be saved if there were other options for them,” says Anita Garten.

The Gartens now serve on the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center Task Force, which allows them to track progress of a goal that doesn’t seem too far off for them.

“Houston Methodist combines compassionate patient care and cutting-edge research focused on the advancement of medicine,” David Garten says.

“It’s very hard to do both, and I don’t know of any institution that does it better. We feel a real commitment to this hospital, these physicians and the idea of restorative medicine.”

“My dad would not have believed the advances taking place in medicine today,” adds Anita Garten, whose late father was an orthopedic and general surgeon. “We are honored to play a small part in making those advances a reality.”

“WE FELT CALLED TO GIVE BACK TO THE INSTITUTION THAT GAVE ME BACK MY LIFE.”

– DAVID GARTEN

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TEAMING UP

TO TACKLE

STROKE DETECTION

What began as an emergency room visit for mild, unsettling symptoms turned into a philanthropist-physician partnership to transform stroke detection.

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Mary Catherine Jones was age 31 and 10 weeks pregnant when she suddenly had trouble speaking and dropped a phone from her right hand.

She sought emergency care, but her symptoms had subsided and her initial brain scan was normal.

Unfortunately, Jones experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA) — which occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is temporarily blocked and causes stroke symptoms — that went undetected. Instead, she was cleared to attend a Houston

Texans game and advised to follow up with a neurologist.

This is how Jones met Houston Methodist neurologist, Dr. John J. Volpi. “I was lucky after that close call,” recalls Jones, who had a 10% risk of suffering another stroke within 90 days. Inspired by her patient experience and Dr. Volpi’s work, Jones and her family directed a gift from the Scurlock Foundation to support stroke detection research.

There are many effective stroke treatments available. The challenge is

RAY AND RANDA GILLIAM, DR. JOHN J. VOLPI AND MARY CATHERINE BLANTON JONES

detecting the stroke in time to deliver treatment and reverse the damage.

Dr. Volpi, The Elkins Family Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Neurology and director of the Eddy Scurlock Stroke Center at Houston Methodist, and his collaborator, Dr. Stephen T. Wong, are using artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a virtual stroke expert that could help ER doctors diagnose stroke quickly and accurately.

“Our collaboration is a perfect match,” says Dr. Wong, the John S. Dunn Sr. Presidential Distinguished Chair in

Biomedical Engineering, full member of the Research Institute, professor of Computer Science and Bioengineering in Oncology, director of the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Bioinformatics Research and Imaging for Neurosciences, and associate director of Cancer Center Shared Resources at Houston Methodist.

“Dr. Volpi is the stroke expert, but he has this diagnostic problem. I am an engineer, and engineers live to solve problems! Houston Methodist is an ideal place for this study — plenty of resources and expertise.”

Typically, a stroke exam includes an image of the brain (such as a CT scan) and a physical exam (measuring face movement, speech and strength). AI can learn — using examples of healthy subjects and of patients suffering a stroke — which symptoms are concerning. Computers can do something more: They turn images into robust, objective data in real time.

The virtual stroke expert would employ mathematics to improve the grainy CT scans available in the ER and detect the precise location of the stroke, which is often indistinguishable to the human eye. The virtual stroke expert can also detect subtle differences in facial expression, speech

and balance. By training the AI with existing data, the result is a stroke expert that could be placed anywhere — even on the patient’s smartphone through an app that can help monitor symptoms and seek care promptly.

This last application may benefit existing stroke patients, such as philanthropist Ray Gilliam, another of Dr. Volpi’s patients who manages his stroke risk. “Seeing Dr. Volpi is like visiting a friend,” says Gilliam. “You don’t feel like you are going to the doctor.” Gilliam and his wife Randa have shown support with a generous gift to Dr. Volpi’s research.

Dr. Volpi and Dr. Wong agree that patients’ perspectives and philanthropy have advanced their research. “We’re doing something brand new, but we do not have enough evidence yet to secure a government grant,” says Dr. Volpi. “That evidence takes time to develop. Mary Catherine and Ray have added great ideas. It’s about more than the funding; it’s a partnership.”

“Thank you for your faith in us,” adds Dr. Wong. “You won’t be disappointed.”

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A GIFT FROM THE HEART

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Dr. William Zoghbi, who holds The Elkins Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Health at Houston Methodist, met his wife-to-be when they were both first-year medical students in war-torn Lebanon.

He is now the chair of Houston Methodist’s nationally ranked Department of Cardiology and a past president of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Huda Zoghbi, his wife, is a world-renowned neurobiologist and geneticist at Baylor College of Medicine and director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital.

As leading physician-scientists, they are keenly aware of the philanthropic investments needed to attract top talent and drive medical advances. To that end, the Zoghbis recently established the William A. Zoghbi, M.D. Centennial Chair in Cardiovascular Health. The chair will support a distinguished faculty member in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center who focuses on clinical care, research and education in cardiovascular health.

“My husband has worked tirelessly to build a first-rate cardiology program. He gives unconditionally and never thinks about himself,” says Dr. Huda Zoghbi. “His focus is always on helping trainees, mentoring young faculty and treating patients.”

She is focused on others as well, particularly families with children dealing with neurological disorders.

The neurogeneticist saw the devastating impact of these terrible diseases during her clinical training, and she felt compelled to research what caused them in hopes of developing new ways to manage and treat them. For her brilliant work, she received the 2017 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

As a leading cardiovascular imaging expert and the holder of an endowed position established by generous benefactors — whose relationship with Houston Methodist goes back to its founding a century ago — Dr. William Zoghbi says he understands the crucial role philanthropy plays in spurring medical innovation.

“It is vitally important to have resources to recruit and retain stellar faculty,” he says. “That’s why the idea of making a major gift was brewing in the back of our minds.”

The Zoghbis credit the generous matching Centennial Chair Challenge established by Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III as a motivating factor for making their gift. They also believe they must train those who come after them.

“Mentoring and developing our trainees is how we share knowledge,” says Dr. William Zoghbi. “It is a way to pass on the torch of knowledge and discovery.”

His own training clearly shaped his career. He studied with notable Houston Methodist cardiovascular physician Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, who instilled a drive for excellence,

and Dr. William L. Winters Jr., a master clinician who modeled excellent patient care. Dr. William Zoghbi also gained a passion for research under Dr. Miguel Quiñones, the Winters Family Distinguished Centennial Chair in Cardiovascular Education in honor of Christopher, William and Scott Winters.

DR. HUDA Y. ZOGHBI AND DR. WILLIAM A. ZOGHBI “Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine we would be here,” he says. “We don’t think of ourselves as special. We’ve always just done the best we can in our fields to make a difference.” .......Dr. Huda Zoghbi was honored to help create an endowed chair that bears her husband’s name.

“My husband is a source of personal and professional inspiration to me, and I was thrilled that we were able to establish this position in recognition of his impact,” she says.

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UNTANGLING THE MYSTERIES OF IBD

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A young man visited his gastroenterologist in a wheelchair because his inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms had become so severe that he could no longer walk. He was dealing with incapacitating abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and weight loss.

Within six months of receiving monoclonal antibody treatment, he was walking and within a year, he ran a half marathon.

“I have seen miracles happen,” says Dr. Carl Schmulen, a retired gastroenterologist with Houston Methodist Hospital who treated that man. “This field is growing rapidly, and new IBD treatments and information are becoming so readily available that it is a challenge for specialists to keep up to date.”

Dr. Schmulen and his wife Lyn share a strong desire to help IBD patients and provide their treating physicians with the latest research. To achieve those goals, they have permanently endowed the Houston Methodist Annual Lecture Series in Gastrointestinal Medicine. The annual lectureship with visiting professors began in 2013 and will extend in perpetuity.

“Thanks to the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Schmulen, we have brought major thought leaders to share their research and clinical acumen,” says Dr. Eamonn M. Quigley, the David M. Underwood Chair of Medicine in Digestive Disorders and director of the Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders.

Dr. Quigley notes that patients benefit from this series because the visiting lecturer discusses challenging cases with Houston Methodist trainees and faculty. The lecture series is open to all physicians and other health care providers across the Greater Houston area, which Dr. Quigley says serves a dual purpose: the opportunity to share knowledge and an exposure to the Fondren

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at the Underwood Center. The lecture has become a highlight of the Houston academic medicine calendar.

Houston Methodist gastroenterologists are among the nation’s leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of IBD. They collaborate with a team of medical specialists to evaluate patients and develop therapies for even the most complex IBD cases.

The Fondren IBD Program offers comprehensive, leading-edge diagnostics and treatments, as well as innovative research that advances patient care.

IBD describes two conditions characterized by chronic gastrointestinal tract inflammation: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. An estimated 3 million Americans are DR. CARL AND LYN living with IBD. Symptoms often begin in the teens and continue for SCHMULEN the rest of a person’s life. Many people suffer unnecessarily because they hesitate to discuss their symptoms with their doctor. “IBD is not pleasant to talk about, but getting an early diagnosis is critical,” Dr. Schmulen says.

His “miracle patient” — and many other patients — encouraged Dr. Schmulen to focus his GI practice on IBD. Endowing the lectureship demonstrated Dr. and Mrs. Schmulen’s commitment to sharing research and clinical advances in order to help patients and physicians. It also represented their wishes to give back to Houston Methodist and the community it serves.

“We have always believed in giving back to the community,” says Dr. Schmulen. “We also want to show our children and grandchildren that giving back feels good and can help others.”

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INNOVATION

RUNNING TOWARD A CRISIS: CRITICAL CARE TEAM ADAPTS DURING COVID-19

Critical care medicine physicians and nurses at Houston Methodist have always cared for the sickest patients across the academic medical center’s eight hospitals. However, the intensity of COVID-19 expanded their focus well beyond emergency rooms and intensive care units.

“We started with 130 ICU beds on the main campus, and that grew to 180 ICU beds in a matter of months,” says Dr. Faisal Masud, the Mary A. and M. Samuel Daffin, Sr. Centennial Chair in Anesthesia and Critical Care and medical director of the Center for Critical Care at Houston Methodist.

“Despite all the challenges, our doctors

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and nurses have run toward the crisis.

They have volunteered for extra shifts, cared for patients like family, cried tears of exhaustion, cheered when patients recovered, and demonstrated the best of humanity. I feel so blessed to work in this place.”

Because COVID-19 patients require more isolation-safety protocols, critical care medicine staff prioritized advancing technological innovations early in the pandemic. Generous contributions from individual donors and corporate support from Reliant and Chevron helped spur the development and implementation of an arsenal of coronavirus-fighting interventions.

“COVID-19 amplified the need for fresh ideas, innovative treatment options and new communication methods,” Dr. Masud says. He and his team helped create aerosol design shields for health care workers, helmets that allow patients to avoid intubation, a virtual ICU that centrally coordinates 24/7 patient care and a digital platform called CareSense that provides follow-up communication for patients well beyond the hospital door.

To expand opportunities for more creative advancements, the physicianscientists of the Center for Critical Care are partnering with engineering medicine (EnMed) “physicianeers”

from Texas A&M University, with support from the Reliant Innovation Fund.

The fund is supporting Dr. Asma Zainab’s development of a computational model of lungs in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and Dr. Hina Faisal’s work to use virtual reality cognitive simulation to prevent delirium.

Houston Methodist was founded when the world battled Spanish flu over a century ago. As the hospital begins its second century of service, the pandemic has shaped the focus and design of critical care.

“Creative ideas advanced to address COVID-19 will continue to

transform health care in the postpandemic world,” says Dr. Masud.

“We are so grateful to the benefactors who make this progress possible. These innovations help us save lives and make sick people whole again. I want our teams and supporters to know their efforts make a long-term difference.”

HARVEY CATCHINGS WITH ICU CARE PROVIDERS (Photo taken prior to COVID-19)

Prior to COVID-19, retired NBA player Harvey Catchings — one of Dr. Masud’s patients — spent two months in intensive care at Houston Methodist awaiting a heart transplant.

He received a transplant in August 2019, then returned after the pandemic was raging to receive follow-up care.

“I see how different life is now for the amazing critical care medicine nurses who work in the ICU,” Catchings says. “They poured into my life in 2019.

I am even more thankful to them now, because I know how much they are sacrificing to serve as lifelines for isolated patients and their families dealing with this virus.” powerofm.org

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A SPACE TO HEAL JOHN & MARCHITA COOK SUPPORT SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL, MENTAL WELL-BEING Imagine a one-of-a-kind facility that will provide customized programs and resources to help patients and their families live healthier lives after being diagnosed with or experiencing a life-changing illness. Thanks to a lead gift from philanthropists John and Marchita Cook, that dream of advancing community wellness will soon become a reality at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital.

“Living longer isn’t the same thing as living well,” says John Cook. “We want to do what we can to help offer hope and healing. Any time a person is experiencing a serious illness, there is anxiety and apprehension because of the unknown. The HEAL (Health Education and Learning) program will fill a void.”

Each patient referred to the HEAL program will receive personalized attention to discuss the best resources and wellness programs available to them and their caregivers. Empowering tools will include a teaching kitchen for cooking lessons for families, patient education materials, support groups, community education workshops, and exercise classes to help manage stress and build mental and physical strength.

For John and Marchita Cook, the HEAL program’s emphasis on supporting spiritual, emotional and mental well-being — along with physical health — is significant. They share they are also impressed by the focus on caregiver support and healthy habits, including nutrition.

“The HEAL program will support all health conditions with carefully planned access to care,” says Marchita Cook. “For each patient and family, this will mean something different.”

The Houston Methodist The Woodland’s team focuses on leading medicine by offering a full spectrum approach to health and wellness that expands beyond traditional care. The vision is an all-encompassing journey that combines medicine with an emphasis on whole body wellness to improve quality of life for patients and the community.

“We are deeply grateful for the Cook family’s significant support,” says Debra Sukin, CEO of Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital and regional senior vice president of Houston Methodist.

“As a health care leader in our community, we believe in our promise to offer the highest quality of patient care possible and see a future where we will set a new standard by bringing the next generation of health care excellence to our community.”

Dr. Randall Wright, medical director of Brain Wellness at Houston Methodist The Woodlands, adds that the hospital is redefining the concept of health.

“In the past, we had a view that our health was only a direct result of our physical ailments,” says Dr. Wright. “We now recognize there are other factors involved in our well-being — psychological and emotional states, nutritional status and the amount of sleep we get. Such factors contribute to our overall well-being regardless of disease state.

The HEAL program will be a place that allows us to address our patients’ overall needs and truly enhance their quality of life so that they can live well.”

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A NEUROSURGEON WITH

“HANDS OF GOLD” Anamaria Arboleda accompanied her sister to a procedure with Dr. Orlando Diaz in 2019, who insisted Arboleda get a brain scan. She heeded his advice, and doctors found a brain aneurysm. Arboleda decided to undergo the procedure that would save her life.

Arboleda left her family in Colombia and relocated to Houston with her husband 30 years ago. A few years later, her father — in Colombia — was treated for a brain aneurysm by doctor Diaz, who was practicing in Bogota back then. Dr. Diaz warned Arboleda’s sister their father’s condition was hereditary and the siblings should be tested regularly for it.

“My sister, Leticia, was diligent and received checkups in Colombia every year,” says Arboleda. “I never did.”

In 2018, Leticia got an MRI, and doctors found a brain aneurysm. This medical condition refers to a bulge or ballooning of a blood vessel in the brain that can leak or rupture. “Leticia researched the best doctor to fix it and found Dr. Diaz, who had operated on our father,” Arboleda continues. “It was a crazy coincidence. He had been practicing here in Houston, where I live.”

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Dr. Diaz, associate professor of clinical neurosurgery at Houston Methodist, operated on Leticia in 2019 and reminded Arboleda she should be checked.

“I didn’t do it,” Arboleda recalls. “I thought, ‘What are the odds?’ Since my sister had it, I didn’t think I would get it.”

Arboleda then scheduled an MRI that detected her brain aneurysm. After Dr. Diaz successfully operated on her, he explained her situation was more serious than her sister’s condition because of her arteries’ thin walls and her aneurysm’s location. He told Arboleda her aneurysm was like “a ticking bomb.”

“I know why people call Dr. Diaz ‘Manos de Oro’ (Golden Hands),” Arboleda says. “He is a gifted physician, and he saved the lives of three members of my family.

I am thankful to him and to Houston Methodist; both my procedure and care were amazing. I have no words to describe how excellent my experience was.”

ANAMARIA ARBOLEDA

MOSAIC MASTERPIECES Gleaming through tiny pieces of painted glass, Christ’s arms will reach out through 13-foot-wide tile mosaics to welcome patients and families who enter any Houston Methodist hospital.

“The Extending Arms of Christ mosaic symbolizes our calling to provide compassionate, spiritual care for all people regardless of their own faith,” says Dr. Marc Boom, Houston Methodist president and CEO. The original mosaic — a 16-foot-tall by 98-footwide work of art designed by artist Bruce Hayes in 1963 — is in the Barbara and President George H.W. Bush Atrium within the Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III Tower of the Houston Methodist Texas Medical Center location. In it, Christ is flanked by Hippocrates, Florence Nightingale and a vivid scene of medicine’s future.

Now, guests will see The Extending Arms of Christ mosaic replicas at Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital,

Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, Houston Methodist West Hospital, Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital and Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital.

For benefactors, the mosaic replicas provide them with a chance to support both the mosaic replica as well as the Spiritual Care Excellence Fund at the hospital of their choosing.

“We believe caring for the human spirit is as important as treating a patient’s illness,” says the Rev. Charles Millikan, vice president of Spiritual Care and Values Integration at Houston Methodist.

“We look forward to extending this beautiful symbol of hope and healing to all those who enter the doors of our community hospitals and continuing care facility.”

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I N HE R NAT U R A L EL EME NT For Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson, the beauty and power of God’s natural creation have remained a lodestar throughout her life. From having treasured childhood memories around Galveston Bay to taking solace in the outdoors during life’s difficult moments, Pickett-Stevenson says she is deeply touched by the healing power of nature.

She has sought to share that blessing with others.

That passion helped launch the Center for Health & Nature in 2018, a unique collaboration among Houston Methodist, Texas A&M University and Texan By Nature, a conservation group founded by former First Lady Laura Bush.

“I’ve always believed that God’s glorious creation is pivotal to wellness and healing,” says Pickett-Stevenson, an accomplished attorney, philanthropist and conservationist.

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“There’s nothing else like this Center anywhere in the world, and I truly believe it can help change the world.”

This one-of-a-kind convergence of medical innovation, community leadership and expertise across a range of disciplines focuses on developing evidence-based, medically sound methods of using nature to promote healing and wellness. Since its launch, the Center for Health & Nature has gained critical momentum by assembling leading talent who conduct groundbreaking studies. They measure how exposure to nature impacts a patient’s well-being.

Further boosting the Center, Pickett-Stevenson and her husband recently made a commitment to establish the Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson and Donald E. Stevenson

Chair in Health & Nature in honor of Dr. Robert E. Jackson.

The endowment will support physician-scientists and scientists who study the effects of nature on cardiovascular health, wellness and disease prevention. Dr. Jackson, the C. Richard Stasney, M.D. Distinguished Chair in Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist, also helped spearhead the Center’s creation.

Dr. Jackson and Pickett-Stevenson became close while he cared for her late mother. Pickett-Stevenson notes Dr. Jackson’s expert care added quality years to her mother’s life. “Dr. Jackson is my dear friend, and he is my brother by choice,” she says.

Pickett-Stevenson credits her mother with instilling an abiding love of nature and the outdoors. After she married, Pickett-Stevenson and her parents even built vacation homes on adjacent properties in Chambers County to enjoy the beauty of Galveston Bay. During her mother’s long illness and ultimate passing in 2014, Pickett-Stevenson found solace in nature.

“My faith walk in search of healing over the loss of my mother was charged with a longing for nature, which is planted in our human soul,” Pickett-Stevenson says.

“The connection among nature, health and healing is simply divine.”

That exciting intersection of nature, science and wellness is the focus of the Center’s research projects, which currently include studying the effects of virtual nature, using nature to reduce health care worker burnout and increasing the use of nature exposure as a physician-prescribed treatment.

Additionally, Houston Methodist will construct a rooftop healing garden that will not only serve as a resource for patients, families and hospital staff to enjoy but also will provide a laboratory for researchers to measure the day-to-day impact nature has on patients’ health.

All those initiatives align with Pickett-Stevenson’s priority to share the healing power of nature with others.

“I go walking and see the beauty of birds nesting in the trees or flying across the water,” says Pickett-Stevenson, who will soon offer her late mother’s home and the surrounding property as a mini retreat to Houston Methodist’s front-line workers. “I remember what truly matters.”

CYNTHIA PICKETT-STEVENSON AND DONALD STEVENSON AT THE KATY L. ROOKERY CREATED IN HONOR OF CYNTHIA’S MOTHER, KATHLEEN LLOYD-PICKETT, ON THEIR PROPERTY IN CHAMBERS COUNTY

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GRATEFUL COUPLE GIVES GENEROUSLY IN THE NAME OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

When a young wife and mother in Houston began experiencing pain and fatigue, hair loss, fever, lesions and other symptoms, she felt confused and overwhelmed. She had a newborn, a special needs 2-year-old and a mom recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

“I didn’t want to be a burden to my husband or family, and I had people who needed me,” says the woman who asked to remain anonymous.

“I felt ashamed of my failing body. Talking to my husband and doctors was hard, and I swam in that darkness alone for a while. When I was finally diagnosed with lupus 12 years ago, I know my husband was scared and confused, too.

Autoimmune diseases are not as straightforward and easy to explain like, for instance, cancer or heart disease.”

Nearly a decade after his wife’s diagnosis, the husband was invited to a friend’s home to hear a talk by Dr. David P. Huston, the W. Bryan Trammell Jr. Family Presidential Distinguished Chair in Allergy and Immunology. He was so impressed with Dr. Huston’s plan for a collaborative Immunology Center that — in honor of his wife — he and some of his family members joined together to match funding from another generous supporter to create the St. Francis of Assisi Centennial Chair in Immunology at Houston Methodist.

“Hearing Dr. Huston’s vision and his testimony made me believe this was a God wink,” the husband says. “Here is something that affects someone who means everything to me, and here is a group of people putting all the experience in the world behind it.”

After Dr. Huston’s fortuitous talk, the husband was eager to share his wife’s case with

Dr. Huston and get the immunologist’s advice.

The family’s beloved internist, Dr. Robert Jackson, the C. Richard Stasney, M.D. Distinguished Chair in Performing Arts Medicine, made the introduction.

Dr. Huston talked with the couple for two hours, going through every test result from the wife’s records. Since that time, rheumatologist Dr. Richard Rubin was added to the wife’s care team.

At the Houston Methodist Immunology Center, the clinicians are intimately familiar with autoimmune diseases and work together to find the best solutions for each patient. Exceptional patient care for this family — going back to the husband’s grandparents — created a deep, enduring relationship with Houston Methodist.

As the couple considered what to name the endowed chair, the wife recalls words she posted over her mirror to read during the darkest days of lupus. It was a prayer her grandmother helped her memorize as a child: the Prayer of St. Francis.

“It calls us to have deep-rooted compassion and to be light in darkness,” she says. “We believe the center will bring hope to those who are struggling and shine light on these mysterious diseases. In four or five years, we believe the Immunology Center will be the leader in autoimmune advances, treatment and research.

We are humbled to be part of this.”

The wife says she believes lupus has given her more gifts than it has taken away.

“Living through those dark, lonely times taught me an empathy and perspective that made me a better wife, mother and friend. When I found doctors who could see me — really see me — it was a game changer. I know this Immunology Center will do the same for others.”

Pictured: Stained glass window, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, New Orleans

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Elizabeth Smith’s unique blend of rebel and caregiver equips her for her life’s passion: advocating for seniors.

“If I was a nurse or doctor, I couldn’t be a rebel,” she says.

“I would have to follow the rules.

I’m good at being an advocate because I don’t stop until I get what the patient needs.”

Smith, the owner of Elizabeth Smith Life and Health Insurance and a Bay Area community leader, has had a caregiving heart since childhood. She always rescued lost puppies and offered to help her grandmother’s older neighbors.

“Seniors are my favorite,” Smith says. She spent years advocating for the elderly with insurance companies, hospitals and the government.

However, they often sought help too late. Therefore, Smith decided to “retire” and buy out an insurance agency so she could help older clients plan for their golden years.

That knack for planning impacts her personal life, too. In addition to her membership in The Society for Leading Medicine, Smith made a planned gift to Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital — the first gift of its kind to the hospital —

ELIZABETH SMITH PLANS AHEAD TO HELP OTHERS

because she wants to ensure her beloved seniors and others experience the hospital’s high-quality, compassionate care. A planned gift allows those like Smith to make significant charitable gifts as part of their estate plans. Her gift demonstrates how she anticipates needs before they arise.

“I try to help seniors before they are in crisis,” Smith says. She educates seniors through her business, free seminars and community college classes. “Service above self is my Rotary motto and the way I’ve lived my life. I believe that to whom much is given, much is expected.

I have been given much, so much is required of me.”

Years ago, Smith was advocating for a disheveled, disoriented senior who had been abandoned. She took the person to the local Nassau Bay hospital, now known as Houston Methodist Clear Lake. Smith was impressed by the staff’s compassion and respect toward the elderly man. After that encounter, she formed a strong relationship with the hospital that continues now.

“Dr. Marc Boom, president and CEO of Houston Methodist, sets the standard of care from the top,” Smith says. “At every Houston Methodist hospital, the staff treats patients as if they are their own relatives.”

Smith chairs the Houston Methodist Clear Lake Patient-Family Advisory Council, is a member of the hospital’s Women’s Advisory Group, serves on the Transplant Task Force and has helped Houston Methodist navigate insurance-related challenges.

Dan Newman, Houston Methodist Clear Lake CEO, values Smith’s contributions to the hospital and the community. “Community members like Elizabeth are the heartbeat of our region, and we are grateful for her support. It’s an honor to care for her and our community.”

One of Smith’s clients recently stopped by her office and brought her a card that read, “I wish there were more people like you in the world.”

“That card made me cry,” Smith recalls. “I’m not a hero. I feel God called me to help the vulnerable. I’m living out the Great Commandment: to love my neighbor as myself.”

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GRATEFUL PATIENT 48

Indian Army veteran Col. Rajinder Bhalla has worked hard his entire life to give back. When he and his wife, Kanwal, established a charitable fund, they decided the ideal place to direct their gift was the hospital in their backyard: Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

“We always find the nurses, doctors and entire staff there to be efficient, helpful, courteous and professional,” says Bhalla.

“The service is quite impressive. With hospitals pressured by COVID-19, we felt that whatever one can do, one should do.”

“I was shocked to receive this remarkable gift,” says Houston Methodist Sugar Land CEO Chris Siebenaler.

“I was so thrilled by the generosity of the Bhallas. We plan to use this investment to advance neuroscience efforts at Houston Methodist Sugar Land.

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

This is the largest gift we’ve ever received, and it will help us provide even greater care for patients and families in our Fort Bend County community.”

Bhalla elaborates that every visit to Houston Methodist Sugar Land — whether a trip to the emergency room, a stop for diagnostic testing or a scheduled appointment with a doctor — has left a tremendous impression on him and his wife. Therefore, he was pleasantly surprised to hear their gift qualified them as Centennial Lifetime Members of The Society for Leading Medicine.

It means they can learn about health and wellness advances — as well as have facilitated access to care — at their beloved hospital

and across the entire Houston Methodist system.

“That’s a great fringe benefit,” says Bhalla.

For the retired clinical veterinarian and drug development laboratory officer, Bhalla says he values philanthropic giving over having monetary possessions. “We have been putting money aside to give something back,” says Bhalla. “What else do you need in life? You are not going to take your money with you.”

The Bhallas directed half their funding to Houston Methodist Sugar Land and divided the rest among causes they hold dear.

“We wish everybody could give back to the community!”

Bhalla exclaims. “What better place is there to give to than a hospital that is treating people? There is no other profession as good as the medical profession.”

COL. RAJINDER AND KANWAL BHALLA

THE FAMILY THAT GIVES TOGETHER If you ask members of the Dearing family what motivates them to make gifts to Houston Methodist through their Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation, they will answer it is a personal calling.

“With relatives and friends affected by Alzheimer’s disease, we’ve seen firsthand what it can do to patients and families,” says Kate Dearing Fowler, executive director of The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation.

“There are therapies that can help, but there is no cure. It is noble to pursue anything that can either turn back the clock on this disease or stop it altogether.”

In prior years, the foundation provided funding for three groundbreaking Houston Methodist Alzheimer’s disease research studies.

The foundation’s 2020 gift supports three initiatives, one of which is the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute Cellular Therapy Research

Fund. This fund explores cell therapy as a promising treatment for a broad spectrum of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease.

When they noticed the pandemic was restricting hospital visitors and isolating patients, the family directed the second part of their foundation’s 2020 commitment to help purchase tablets to virtually connect families. “I can’t imagine a joyous occasion like having a child — or the sadness of losing a loved one — and not being able to be there,” says Fowler. “Technology allows people to see each other, even if it’s through a screen.”

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth 10 billion,” adds Jerry Dearing, the foundation’s founder and board president.

Dearing says Houston Methodist’s innovative ways to combat COVID-19 inspired the third portion of the foundation’s 2020 gift to

support the Infectious Diseases Research Fund (IDRF). “This was like being on a battlefield,” he says.

“We wanted to pitch in to help fight that war at whatever level we could.”

Fowler says supporting the IDRF was a natural fit for the foundation. “Bringing innovations to this sector will help us stay one step ahead,” she says. “There are other infectious diseases lurking around the corner. The more we can be prepared, the better.”

Turning her passion for advocacy into leadership, Fowler is now a member of the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute National Council. “Incredible work is happening here that you don’t see anywhere else, which really excites me,” she says. “Because of Houston Methodist’s resources and talent, they accomplish amazing things that I would have never thought were possible.”

From left to right: John Dearing, Rose Dearing, Jerry Dearing, Kristin Dearing, Noah Dearing and Kate Dearing Fowler

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A SENSE OF COMMUNITY EDDIE GRAY’S BAYTOWN ROOTS, AFFINITY FOR AREA WETLANDS INSPIRE GENEROUS GIFT

Where others see vacant buildings or empty lots, real estate developer Eddie V. Gray, owner of Gray Enterprises, sees possibilities. In Baytown, where he and his late wife Faye raised four daughters and engaged as community and philanthropic leaders, Gray drove past an abandoned bowling alley 20-plus years ago and wondered what it could become.

Through his persistent efforts, Gray and a group of collaborators — including the City of Baytown, Goose Creek CISD, Lee College and local industry — eventually transformed the old bowling alley into the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education Center. Since 1998, over 100,000 schoolchildren have learned about wetlands and the environment through the center’s educational programs.

Gray became enamored with the wetlands while growing up in Baytown hunting and fishing. He later studied geology at Texas A&M University, which cemented his affinity for the wetlands.

This past year, Gray’s vision focused on a meaningful project that recognizes two special women in his life and educates the community about the wetlands.

In honor of Gray’s generous matching gift to support the Crowning Achievement Awards for Excellence in Nursing at Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital, a new hospital entrance and outdoor area will be named The Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Entrance and Edna Gray and Faye Gray Memorial Garden.

“I think the entrance and garden are wonderful tributes to my wife and my mother,” Gray says. “They’d love that we’re creating a relaxing setting where families can enjoy nature.” The opportunity to teach hospital visitors and staff about the wetlands delights Gray, as does the support for nursing training, education and research.

Houston Methodist Baytown CEO David P. Bernard admires Gray’s love for his family, the outdoors and the Baytown community. “Eddie and his family have made a significant impact in the lives of so many people,” says Bernard. “We are excited to support their passion for advancing our community through the Crowning Achievement Award for Excellence in Nursing.”

Gray says he is forever grateful for the compassionate care Faye received at Houston Methodist Baytown after she was diagnosed with late-stage lymphoma. “The way the nurses and doctors treated Faye meant so much to us,” he says.

“Everyone was like family. My mom helped start the hospital volunteer corps and spent 10 years on the Board of Trustees. Two of our children were born in this fine hospital, and it is a wonderful community asset.”

Through his mother’s service, Gray understood the value of having a high-quality local hospital and the value of serving others.

“My whole life has involved community projects,” Gray says. His dad Elmer — Olympic track star, rancher, oilman and developer — inspired Gray to love the land, and he launched Eddie in business as a young man.

Gray married his high school sweetheart, Faye, in 1954, and their family grew to include their daughters plus spouses, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. With children as with buildings, Gray sees all their possibilities.

“Faye and I set up college funds for our children and grandchildren,” he says. “We introduced them to business ideas and the concept of giving back to the community. I hope making a difference becomes a family legacy.” powerofm.org

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HONOR THE BOOKOUT GOTTO PROGRAM IN TRANSLATIONAL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH When John F. Bookout and Antonio Gotto, MD, DPhil, chatted over breakfast every other Saturday for two years, their focus wasn’t on sports or the weather. Instead, the good friends and colleagues planned a program to train the next generation of scientists who will help redefine medicine.

They are now turning those conversations into action.

In late 2020, the Bookout Foundation Endowment Fund created The Bookout Gotto Program in Translational Biomedical Research. Mr. Bookout was president and CEO of Shell Oil Co. from 1976-1988 and is chairman emeritus of the Houston Methodist Board of Directors, on which he has served for more than four decades, including 16 years as chair.

“We talked about this idea for a long time. One Saturday, John said, ‘It’s time to move on with this.’

I agreed, and things moved fast after that,” says Dr. Gotto, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean Emeritus of Weill Cornell Medical College and a member of the Houston Methodist Academic Institute.

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Dr. Gotto also lends his name to the Sanford I. Weill and Antonio M. Gotto Jr., MD Centennial Chair in Translational Biomedical Sciences Education. Joan and Sanford I. Weill and the Weill Family Foundation made a generous gift to establish this endowed chair that supports The Bookout Gotto Program in Translational Biomedical Research.

Translational research — the emphasis on the translation of novel medical discoveries from the lab into patient care — is a significant focus for the Houston Methodist Academic Institute, and it requires well-prepared scientists to meet the demand. Accordingly, the Bookout Gotto Program’s leaders aim to train scientists who can generate fundamental insights into disease mechanisms and who can develop these insights toward transformational therapies. This program will generate a scientific workforce composed of individuals who apply cutting-edge technology to unsolved problems in medicine and who have the desire to see their science translated into useful therapies, devices and diagnostics.

The program unites Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences (WCGS) faculty and initiatives in New York with faculty and programs in Houston. Specifically, the

JOHN F. BOOKOUT (LEFT) AND ANTONIO M. GOTTO (RIGHT) HAVE SERVED HOUSTON METHODIST FOR DECADES

Bookout Gotto Program has catalyzed the formation of a WCGS Houston campus. The students at the WCGS Houston campus participate in online lectures from the New York campus and perform their laboratory rotations at the Houston campus.

Two retreats in New York will permit the Houston faculty and students to mingle and exchange ideas with the faculty and students on the New York campus. The young scientists on the Houston campus will perform their thesis research in the highly translational milieu of the Houston Methodist Academic Institute, with faculty oriented toward seeking medical solutions for unmet health needs.

This new program provides stipends for up to five Houston Methodist Academic Institute doctoral students admitted to and enrolled in the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. The program has high admissions standards, and several exceptional graduate students have already received the first stipends.

Spearheading this collaborative, tightly integrated training program is John P. Cooke, MD, PhD, Houston Methodist’s chief translational sciences officer, medical director for the

Center for RNA Therapeutics, and the Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter and Carole Walter Looke Presidential Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Disease Research. Henry J. Pownall, PhD, professor of Bioenergetics and a full member of the Houston Methodist Research Institute, will serve as program director.

“Supporting these promising young scientists with stipends, mentors and distinctive research experience allows us to attract high-quality candidates and give them the tools they need to advance their careers and the field of translational medicine,” Dr. Cooke says. “We are training the next generation of outstanding leaders at Houston Methodist, and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish.”

The hope is that many outstanding translational scientists participating in this program will choose to stay with Houston Methodist or in Houston when they complete their studies.

“I am so grateful for John Bookout’s vision, generous spirit and persistence,” says Dr. Gotto. “Dr. Cooke and I see the important advances that occur when we rapidly translate biomedical research into medications, cutting-edge treatments and innovative technology. All that work benefits patients. The results will produce lifesaving therapies.” powerofm.org 53 powerofm.org

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PHILANTHROPIC PRODIGY

Shaan Khurana never met his grandmother, Swadesh Khurana. She passed away before he was born. The 11-year-old boy, who enjoys acting and playing basketball, says he feels connected to his grandmother by carrying on her tradition of helping others.

“Helping other people was healing to my Dadi Ji (grandmother) and now to me,” says Shaan. “I am going to continue what she did and what my grandfather is doing.”

Balwant Khurana, Shaan’s grandfather, is generously endowing The Swadesh Khurana Endowment in Stroke Care at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. He began the endowment in 2008 after his wife, Shaan’s grandmother, unexpectedly died from stroke.

Shaan and his 5-year-old sister, Seva Khurana, are opting to continue a generous and unique way of celebrating their birthdays that their parents, Dr. Sippi Khurana and Ajay Khurana, began for the children when they were younger.

In lieu of birthday presents, the family encourages friends to make gifts of any size to the fund in his grandmother’s name.

SHAAN KHURANA

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“I realize that helping people is a gift in itself,” says Shaan. “Other people need my birthday gifts more than I do, and I want to contribute and help other people like Dadi Ji did. It makes my grandfather very happy to remember her.”

“My mother-in-law was very giving of her resources and her time,” says Shaan’s mother, Dr. Khurana. “My husband and I want helping others to be a core value for our children.”

All Khurana family members are committed to furthering stroke awareness and education focused on initiatives for patients, health care professionals and the community.

“The Khurana family has been instrumental in moving stroke care and research forward significantly at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital,” says Keith Barber, CEO of Houston Methodist Willowbrook and senior vice president of Houston Methodist. “Our stroke care program can provide unparalleled service and patient outcomes,

in part due to the longstanding relationship we have with the Khurana family. Their generosity spans multiple generations and has ingrained them as a vital part of the Houston Methodist Willowbrook family.”

Annually, Shaan presents a check to Houston Methodist Willowbrook leadership during an awards luncheon that honors stroke caregivers.

The event occurs in The Swadesh Khurana Healing Garden in the hospital, which visually represents her legacy.

“Presenting the check fills me with joy, because I am playing a part in helping to save lives,” explains Shaan. “That makes me feel closer to her.”

Dr. Khurana says she is gratified that Houston Methodist Willowbrook has become a state-of-the-art stroke care facility. “The idea is no one would suffer the same fate that she did,” says Dr. Khurana.

“Houston Methodist has become a part of our extended family. It is that personal and that fulfilling.”

SWADESH KHURANA

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Reagan and Jim Bailey can remember the exact moment that took their interest in Houston Methodist to another level. About five years ago, they attended an intimate gathering with roughly 150 members of The Society for Leading Medicine, Houston Methodist’s annual giving organization.

Hosted by Houston attorneys and then-Society co-chairs Steven

THE SOCIETY FOR LEADING MEDICINE

REAGAN AND JIM BAILEY WITH THEIR BELOVED COMPANION, CHAMP

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

and Cabrina Owsley, the event featured a brief update from Dr. Stanley Appel, chair of the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology and co-director of the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute. Dr. Appel ardently described the innovative research and clinical projects occurring within the institute.

“We had a chance to speak directly to a couple of doctors there

and learn what motivates them,” says Jim Bailey, a Houston Methodist Neurological Institute National Council member. “It made medicine so much more personal and tangible.”

Similar gatherings have strengthened the Baileys’ resolve to bolster Houston Methodist in leading medicine through patient care and research. They have made gifts to support the Nantz National Alzheimer

Center and to twice purchase meals for front-line heroes working in the COVID-19 units.

The Baileys were among the first to join The Society when it launched in 2013, and they aren’t surprised by the impact it has made on Houston Methodist. Members have raised more than $47 million to date.

“We appreciate The Society allowing members to direct gifts to

areas that are important to them,” says Reagan. “That flexibility is something we enjoy about The Society.”

Jim cites another reason for their involvement and The Society’s success: “It’s not just the exceptional professional care we are confident in at Houston Methodist, but also how we and our loved ones are treated and how they treat each other,” he explains.

Both Reagan and Jim note the pandemic has reinforced their commitment to Houston Methodist.

“It’s very impressive how Dr. Marc Boom and others at Houston Methodist have taken a leading role in communicating to our community what is really going on with COVID-19,” Jim says. “It makes Reagan and me proud to be associated with Houston Methodist.”

THANK YOU We would like to welcome and thank our new Society co-chairs, Dr. Jeremy and Caroline Finkelstein and Catherine and George Masterson.

Together, they are leading The Society for the next two years, 2021-2023. They are excited to oversee the return of in-person events for members of The Society when it is safe to do so.

Thank you all for your leadership!

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JOHNSON CENTER FOR

CELLULAR THERAPEUTICS Cell therapy, the practice of transplanting human cells to replace or repair damaged tissue and/or cells, has the potential to yield new treatment options for a wide variety of diseases and disorders. Thanks to a transformational lead gift from Ann and John W. “Johnny” Johnson, Houston Methodist can stand at the forefront of this medical renaissance.

“This is a unique opportunity to truly lead medicine worldwide,” 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. “My hope is Houston Methodist will be a global destination for game-changing cell therapies.”

The Ann Kimball and John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics will open a new 5,000-square-foot facility on the third floor of the Houston Methodist Outpatient Center in late 2021. Daniel J. Kota, PhD, managing director, and Christopher Lincoln, PhD, director of the Office of Translational Production and Quality in the Houston Methodist Research Institute, co-lead the Center.

The Center will equip researchers and clinician-researchers in Houston Methodist’s Centers of Excellence, the Houston Methodist Academic Institute and programs throughout the Houston Methodist system with the resources needed to develop new cell therapybased therapeutics. The researchers and clinician-researchers can also manufacture those therapies in-house, eliminating an extra step that adds significant time and expense.

The new facility has six independent production rooms and a dedicated quality control laboratory. It also boasts a large mechanical area that contains instruments and tools needed for the operation of the facility.

“Cell therapy is among the most promising treatment options in the new era of personalized medicine,” says Dr. Kota. “This Center will serve as the leading research and development lab for cell therapy at Houston Methodist.”

The state-of-the-art facility was designed with the flexibility to inspire innovation and produce FDA-approved cellular therapies. Its dollar-for-dollar matching Challenge Fund established by Ann and Johnny Johnson continues in that tradition of innovation.

Several benefactors have already made gifts to this fund to support the various Centers of Excellence, which exemplifies how the community can make a larger impact together.

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

INNOVATIVE

TECH Gazing at her newborn’s face through a small screen brought joy to a mother with COVID-19 who longed to hold her baby. A daughter witnessed her mother’s hospital room baptism. A son said goodbye to his father.

These virtual interactions were made possible thanks to a lead gift

by The John M. O’Quinn Foundation and a gift by the Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation.

Before COVID-19, Houston Methodist Center for Innovation staffers began experimenting with Apple iPad prototypes in patient rooms to facilitate physician rounds and virtual visits with family members, and with Amazon Echo Dots so patients could ask Alexa to play songs.

When the pandemic escalated in March 2020 and visitors were restricted, the tablets and Echo Dots were deployed quickly. Virtual physician rounds minimized clinical staff exposure, and patients’ video chats with their loved ones helped relieve feelings of isolation.

Robert C. Wilson III, president of The John M. O’Quinn Foundation, heard hospitalized patients faced isolation, so he reached out to Houston Methodist.

“Patients need to communicate with their families and doctors,” he says. “I asked how we could help provide the devices.”

After learning how technology benefited both patients and health

care workers, The John M. O’Quinn Foundation trustees doubled their gift. “The trustees loved doing this,” Wilson says. “It’s difficult for patients to be in the hospital without family.

We thought the next best thing was to support the purchase of these technologies.”

Murat Uralkan, director of the Center for Innovation, says the devices granted comfort to patients. “We treat patients like family, and we wanted to make sure they could connect with their own families,” he says. “We are grateful to all those who made these vital interactions possible.”

As Houston Methodist realizes its systemwide goal of installing patient tablets and Echo Dots in every patient room, employees are expanding uses for these technologies.

Music therapists employ tablets to record patients’ heartbeats and then combine those sounds with music, a way to help separated mothers and infants bond.

KEEPS PATIENTS CONNECTED TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY The music therapists also create end-of-life recordings to serve as keepsake remembrances.

MyMethodist Patient Tablets provide MyChart access for ordering meals and reviewing medical information.

New applications are on the horizon. Plans for Echo Dots include hands-free communication among patients, families, doctors and nurses.

All of this was made possible by the generosity of those who helped in a time of need.

“When a stellar hospital like Houston Methodist has funding needs that come up, this foundation can move rapidly to get things done,” says Wilson. “Call us firefighters because we can be of help in short notice.”

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Medical innovation begins with research, but research can only commence when clinician-scientists and scientists have funding to pursue their ideas. Fueled by $28 million in total gifts and matching funds from 295 benefactors thus far, the Translational Research Initiative (TRI) provides vital funding for Houston Methodist’s brilliant minds to research new, innovative therapies with the goal of bringing them to the patients’ bedsides more expeditiously and at a fraction of the typical cost of new medical innovations.

Now completing its third philanthropic fund, each TRI was established with a Challenge Fund gift and a goal to create a $10 million current-use fund to support translational research.

Gifts made to the TRI are matched — currently dollar-for-dollar —

‘MAPS’ Quest

Medical errors are the third-leading cause of death in the U.S., but Dr. Parrish, a cardiology clinical specialist at Houston Methodist, says he hopes to change that statistic.

“To err is human, but what if technology can help prevent some of those errors?” asks Dr. Parrish. “With the support of TRI, I found that technology can alert health care providers who are about to make medication errors.”

Dr. Parrish has developed MAPS: Medication Administration Protection System. Incorporated within the electronic medical record system, MAPS provides real-time guidance and alerts to medical personnel to prevent errors in medication prescribing, monitoring or administration.

The system is based on visual signals — green for proceed, yellow for proceed with caution and red for stop, and do not administer the medication.

Currently, none of the marketed software are directly incorporated into the electronic medical records to detect and prevent medication errors. Dr. Parrish credits receiving funding from TRI as the reason his idea has advanced into the proof-of-concept trials.

“I am grateful to those who gave to TRI,” says Dr. Parrish. “It is the reason why we’ve come so far. Without TRI, this type of innovation may not have gotten off the ground.”

by the Challenge Fund, and benefactors who make commitments of $50,000 or more are “Founding Members.” Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III created the first Challenge Fund that established TRI I and inspired 145 benefactors to contribute to meet the TRI I $10 million goal. The Jerold B. Katz Foundation created the second TRI Challenge Fund, TRI II, with 100 benefactors completing that $10 million goal. Paula and Rusty Walter again generously established TRI III — which focuses on neurorestoration — of which 50 benefactors have contributed, bringing the total so far to $8 million toward our $10 million goal.

For Drs. Brian Parrish, Philip Horner and Gavin Britz, TRI has catapulted their work into the stratosphere of medical innovation.

Viva La Vagus

For Drs. Horner and Britz, their TRI project began during a conversation with a colleague around the water cooler.

“This project is a great example of clinical and basic research experts stimulating ideas through a conversation,” says Dr. Horner, scientific director for the Houston Methodist Center for Neuroregeneration. “This idea was built on a wild idea, not decades of research.

TRI gave us an opportunity to leapfrog ahead to connect the dots.”

The project, “Roadmap for Neural Stimulation Induced Molecular Protective Therapy for Advanced Stroke Care,” builds off serendipitous circumstances in human anatomy and stroke interventions.

It connects a pacemaker-like device to the intubation tube, which stimulates the vagus nerve — a large neuron that runs alongside the trachea in the throat and chest and controls part of those stress responses.

This device reduces the body’s fightor-flight response and boosts the body’s rest-and-digest signals, which provides the brain with more blood and potentially prevents catastrophic brain damage.

Normally, the body responds to a highstress situation by activating the fightor-flight response — a racing heart, cold and clammy hands, shallow breathing.

Under low stress, the body activates a rest-and-digest response that nourishes the body and oxygenates organs for

repair and restoration — slowing heart rate and warming extremities.

During a stroke, the vagus nerve triggers the fight-or-flight response and suppresses the rest-and-digest response. Thus, less oxygen flows to the brain while the stroke is already cutting off blood/ oxygen to the brain.

The device Drs. Horner and Britz designed to reduce the fight-or-flight response has tested successfully in multiple experiments in large animals.

Alongside Dr. John Volpi, the Elkins Family Distinguished Centennial Academic Scholar in Neurology at Houston Methodist, the inventors are currently applying for FDA approval of the device to begin human clinical trials.

“We could not have gotten this project off the ground through traditional funding sources, and many great ideas get lost to science because of that,” says Dr. Britz, the Candy and Tom Knudson Distinguished Centennial Chair in Neurosurgery and co-director of the Houston Methodist Center for Neuroregeneration. “TRI is a close-to-home funding opportunity that allows us to make progress toward new patient treatments.”

If you are interested in becoming a TRI III Founding Member, contact Josh Thiel at jjthiel@houstonmethodist.org or 832.982.4890. A gift can also qualify you for membership in The Society for Leading Medicine, Houston Methodist’s annual giving group. powerofm.org

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2020

YEAR IN REVIEW TOTAL COMMITTED

$ 52.7 MILLION

110

62

124

759

ENDOWED CHAIRS

TRI FOUNDING MEMBERS

SOCIETY MEMBERS

(IN TOTAL)

TRI2 TOTAL IMPACT: $10M

RECORD-BREAKING YEAR $10.01M

(2017-2020)

(2020 TOTAL)

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

186,000+

14,103

PIECES OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) DONATED

MEALS DONATED TO FRONT-LINE WORKERS AT HOUSTON METHODIST

3,912 GIFTS

INCOME SOURCES (2020)

13

%

3 % OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

56

%

INDIVIDUALS

13

%

CORPORATION/ CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS

28

%

3,210 UNIQUE

FOUNDATIONS

DONORS

MANY THANKS

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CELEBRATING A $517.9 MILLION

CAMPAIGN Thank you for one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives.

Our Leading Medicine to the Power of M: Campaign for Our Second Century began its quiet phase Jan. 1, 2013. Elizabeth accepted the role of Campaign Chair in fall 2016, with Rusty joining her as co-chair in early 2017. We announced the Campaign at our RendezVous Live Young Gala that November. It is because of you, our generous benefactors, that we surpassed our $500 million goal two years ahead of schedule!

There are not enough pages in this Annual Report to give each of our 14,961 contributors their due, although we are privileged to share some of their stories here. We are forever grateful for your gifts, your advocacy and for your steadfast belief in Houston Methodist as a groundbreaking independent academic medical center. We truly appreciate the hospital’s grounding in our strong Christian values, as well as its translational — and transformational — approach to leading medicine.

This Campaign’s impact will manifest itself in the improved lives and better outcomes for the patients and their families who already benefit from your philanthropy. Since 2013, you have established 88 new endowments, which will attract and retain some of the best and brightest medical and scientific minds

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Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation

from around the world. Your membership in The Society for Leading Medicine, which was created during the Campaign, has produced more than $55 million to date to support the hospital’s highest priorities.

You love a challenge! During the course of the Campaign, you have risen to challenges to establish endowments to support nursing excellence at each of our six hospitals in communities outside the Texas Medical Center; honor the late Dr. Mark Hausknecht with the creation of a Centennial Chair in Anesthesia and Critical Care and funds that support cardiovascular telemedicine and research in heart disease; and create 53 Centennial Chairs through the Walter Centennial Chair Challenge in honor of Houston's Methodist's Centennial anniversary in 2019.

We are leading medicine in research thanks in part to the multidisciplinary Jerold B. Katz Academy of Translational Research. The eight “Katz Investigators” will be at the forefront of turning life-changing discoveries into innovative patient treatments. Your support of the Translational Research Initiative — with two TRI Funds completed and a third currently underway — will produce patentable products and treatments benefiting patients who have suffered strokes, have heart disease and are battling cancer.

While our Campaign has concluded, our work of leading medicine is not done. We are in the midst of

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NEW ENDOWED CHAIRS DURING CAMPAIGN

26,783 GIFTS

CAMPAIGN BY FOCUS AREA

23

%

a groundbreaking Alzheimer’s study we hope will lead to a new understanding of how we can treat, prevent and perhaps ultimately cure this disease.

We will soon open the Ann Kimball and John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics, which will benefit patients facing a variety of medical conditions.

And on the horizon is the Fondren Inflammation Collaborative — a global destination where those with the most complex immunological conditions can find help, hope and healing.

We will continue to be involved with Houston Methodist for many years to come, and we hope you will, too.

With gratitude,

ELIZABETH BLANTON WAREING AND JOSEPH C. “RUSTY” WALTER III Co-Chairs, Leading Medicine to the Power of M: Campaign for Our Second Century

LEADING MEDICINE TO THE POWER OF CAMPAIGN FOR OUR SECOND CENTURY

51

%

ATTRACT BRILLIANCE $120.0 M

ACCELERATE RESEARCH $265.5 M

14

%

12

%

PROMOTE HEALING $70.1 M TRAIN SUPERSTARS $62.3 M

14,961 SUPPORTERS

CAMPAIGN BY FUND CATEGORY CURRENT USE $282.6M 55%

ENDOWMENTS $235.3M 45% powerofm.org

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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 Jones Rev. Kenneth Levingston Vidal G. Martinez Faisal N. Masud, MD W. Benjamin Moreland Thomas J. Pace III, DMin Edmund Robb III, DMin Stuart L. Solomon, MD, President of the Medical Staff Douglas E. Swanson, Jr. Spencer Tillman Advisory John F. Bookout III 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. John S. “Steve” Dunn, Jr. Marvy A. Finger Vidal G. Martinez Gregory V. Nelson David M. Underwood, Jr. Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III James “Jim” V. Walzel Marcus “Marc” A. Watts

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Houston Methodist Academic Institute Board of Directors John F. Bookout III, Chair John F. Bookout, Chair Emeritus Ewing Werlein, Jr., Senior 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. Joseph R. “Rod” Canion David Chao Augustine M.K. Choi, MD Ernest D. Cockrell II Martin Craighead Martha Smith DeBusk Leslie Doggett Antonio M. Gotto, Jr., MD, DPhil Evan H. Katz Edwin “Ed” H. Knight Kevin J. Lilly Steven S. Looke 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 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 Mary Hartman Brown Cody Walter O’Hara, MD Rick Peebles Gary T. Schmidt Christopher Siebenaler Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Board of Trustees Marc L. Boom, MD, Chair Chris Siebenaler, Vice Chair Daniel Newman, Secretary Levi Benton John D. Kennedy LaRon Mason, MD, President-Elect of the Medical Staff Jerry Neff, DMin Elaine Renola Mark Savrick, MD, President of the Medical Staff 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 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 Stacy Norton, MD Jennifer Pittman Lee Robison Barbara Schlattman Debra F. Sukin, PhD Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital Board of Trustees Marc L. Boom, MD, Chair Debra F. Sukin, PhD, Secretary Ralph Alexander Ramon M. “Mick” Cantu Susan Dio Lucas Duvall, MD Bishop Robert “Bob” Hayes, Jr. Marc Labbé, MD Sallie Rainer Ann Snyder, PhD Laura Sugg Raj Syal, MD 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 Stephen I. Chazen David A. Cockrell Clayton Erikson Daniel M. Gilbane George Kelly David D. Kinder John P. Kotts William Gentry Lee, Jr. Michael C. Linn Rahul B. Mehta Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson Veronica Selinko-Curran, MD Douglas E. Swanson, Jr. David M. Underwood, Jr. At-Large Members Arch H. Aplin III Bruce R. Bilger Isabel G. David Jack Dinerstein Nancy S. 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 Laura Laux Higgins Vicki A. Hollub David D. Kinder 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 Campaign Steering Committee Elizabeth Blanton Wareing, Chair Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III, Co-Chair Dorothy M. Ables E. William Barnett Daphne Bernicker Eddy S. Blanton Marc L. Boom, MD Lloyd “Lucky” S. Burke Stephen I. Chazen Claudia Contreras Paula Criel Gary W. Edwards Rob Fondren Ed Frank James G. Frankel Richard Harper, MD (Faculty Representative) Mark A. Houser John W. Johnson Evan H. Katz Thomas C. Knudson W. Gregory Looser W. Benjamin Moreland Gregory V. Nelson Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson Suzanne H. Smith H. Dirk Sostman, MD (Faculty Representative) Douglas E. Swanson, Jr. David M. Underwood, Jr. Duncan K. Underwood W. Temple Webber III Kelley Young 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 Julie Stone Payne Sissy Roberts Melissa B. Schnitzer Kathy Stanton Tommye S. Torian Lynda Underwood Mary E. Webber Carolyn Josey Young Houston Methodist 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 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 Rick Moore 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 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 Eric J. Haufrect, 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 Aline D. Wilson Stephen T. Wong, PhD, PE Robert A. Yekovich, DMA Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Council Robyn Canterbury, Co-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 Robyn Canterbury Carl M. Carter III Gerardo A. Chapa

Mary A. Daffin Denis A. DeBakey Joann P. DiGennaro William J. Doré, Jr. William J. Doré, Sr. Nan Duhon Jean Durdin Connie M. Dyer 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 Huntley Anderson Kubitza 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 Douglas R. Quinn Elizabeth C. Walter 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 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, Emeritus 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 Steven B. Wyatt

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 Lenan O. 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, MD Vijay Jotwani, MD Terry Lohrenz Mark Loveland Larry Margolis Patrick McCulloch, MD Hannah McNair 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 Lynda K. & David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders Task Force Rob Fondren, Co-Chair Duncan K. Underwood, Co-Chair James J. Braniff III Pedro Durán Gomez Shari Fish Jay Golding Marcy Margolis James C. Pappas A. Carl Schmulen C. Loren Vandiver Marie Wise William Wise Michael Zilkha Nina Zilkha Houston Methodist Immunology Center Task Force Lloyd “Lucky” S. Burke, 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. Aline D. Wilson Houston Methodist Sherrie & Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation Task Force Paula D. Criel, Chair Deborah Keener Brown Alan Conover, Member In Memoriam Sherrie Conover Kandice Fogle Kathy Ghobrial Elizabeth A. Hoff Tami Houston Edward A. Jones Burt H. Keenan, Member In Memoriam Lawrence W. Kellner Linda G. Lykos Dr. Barbara Manousso Walter McFadden Eugene A. O’Donnell Elizabeth Rotan Mary Seefluth Patricia Sloan Samuel Sloan Cynthia Urquhart Edward Urquhart Houston Methodist Reconstructive Surgery Task Force* Claudia Contreras, Chair Houston Methodist Spiritual Care Task Force*

Houston Methodist Surgical Innovations Task Force Bridget Butler Wade, Chair Marcos J. Basso Henry S. Bragg, Sr. Michael Ellington Douglas V. Getten Dana L. Myers, MD Jon Phillip Spiers, MD, JD Jamie Taussig Randa Weiner John B. Young, Jr. Anat K. Zeidman 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 Myrna Deckert 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 Huntley Anderson Kubitza Colter Lewis Steven S. Looke Vicki L. Massad Michael M. Metz Valerie Naifeh Reena Patel Deborah Phillips Ahmed A. Rabie, PhD Kitty 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 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 Women’s Health Task Force Marcy Margolis, Chair Leslie Margolis, Co-Chair Elisabeth Bickham Kelli Blanton Lori Cohen Nancy Dinerstein Fredda Friedlander Melanie Margolis Melanie Morgan Cabrina F. Owsley Barbara Ross Elisha Selzer Betsy Siff Nina Zilkha As of July 21, 2021 *In development

powerofm.org

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LETTER FROM OUR CHAIR Thank you for making our Leading Medicine to the Power of M: Campaign for Our Second Century a resounding success.

Thanks to your generosity, we secured $52.7 million in philanthropic commitments in 2020 to support patient care, translational research and medical education — a very notable achievement as the world was dealing with the coronavirus crisis. Your selfless giving allowed us to surpass our campaign goal of $500 million, two years ahead of schedule! We are blessed to be the recipient of $517.9 million for the Leading Medicine to the Power of M campaign, which will help Houston Methodist provide unparalleled safety, quality, service and innovation to patients from Houston, throughout the country and around the world.

Your support of the Houston Methodist front-line workers who are in the fight against COVID-19 is truly inspiring. You have bought them breakfasts, lunches and dinners; donated personal protective equipment and other safety materials; and contributed resources so roughly 5,000 workers could enjoy a paid day off and a “Meal On Us.” As they have selflessly cared for others throughout the pandemic, you have generously taken care of them.

I will be forever grateful to Elizabeth Wareing and Rusty Walter for chairing the Leading Medicine to the Power of M campaign, and to Rusty and Paula Walter and Walter Oil & Gas Corporation for their transformational $101 million gift, the largest in Houston Methodist’s history. We also would not be celebrating the completion of the Campaign without the Jerold B. Katz Foundation’s $21 million investment, the largest gift to date to the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. Thank you as well to my fellow leaders. Whether a donor to the Campaign, serving on a board or being a member of the President’s Leadership Council, I deeply appreciate your advocacy, perspective and commitment to Houston Methodist. Your engagement fosters the continued improvement of one of the best academic medical centers in the United States. I can’t wait to see where we will be leading medicine next.

CREDITS

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

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President and CEO, Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation: Susan Coulter, JD Managing Editor: Emily Akers Editors: 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, David Despau, Thomas Ehrettsmann, Luke Lucas, Leona Matuszczak, Rachel and Timothy Miller, Bruce Morser, Ransom & Mitchell, Charis Tsevis, Alex Williamson Photographers: Fernando Castaldi, Donna Duplantier, Karen Sachar, Robert Seale, Terry Vine

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