Dallas Fort Worth Nonprofit Business Journal

Category: Health Care

  • UT Southwestern receives $37M CPRIT grant for pediatric cancer research

    The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has awarded more than $37 million to UT Southwestern for cancer research and prevention, including more than $5 million to create a platform for collecting pediatric cancer data across multiple institutions. Because childhood cancers are rare, multi-institution research studies are necessary and UT Southwestern will lead in this pooling effort.

    The award also includes $12 million for recruiting four cancer investigators to UT Southwestern Medical Center.

    “These much-appreciated awards from CPRIT, which are funded by the citizens of Texas, will help UT Southwestern’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Center further our understanding of how cancer occurs as well as develop new methods for treatment of cancer that are both more effective and less toxic. We are also pleased to be able to expand prevention programs for liver cancer and breast cancer in key populations,” said Dr. Carlos L. Arteaga, Associate Dean of Oncology Programs and Director of the Simmons Cancer Center. Dr. Arteaga holds the Lisa K. Simmons Distinguished Chair in Comprehensive Oncology.

    The CPRIT grant includes an award to Dr. Yang Xie (pictured), Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences and of Bioinformatics, and Dr. Stephen Skapek, Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, to develop a pediatric cancer data base and support system.

    “The most effective research includes clinical, genomic, and imaging data from historical and prospective trials across multiple institutions, however inconsistent terminology and other issues often hamper researchers’ efforts to combine data. Our goal is to break down these academic silos and create a broad database that will benefit all,” said Dr. Xie.

    The Pediatric Cancer Data Core will develop a system and computational tools for collecting and integrating data from clinical trials, electronic health records, molecular and imaging studies, and tissue banks. The system will become a resource for all Texas childhood cancer programs.
    Other funding in the CPRIT grant includes:

    Multi-investigator research awards:

    • $5,998,327 to members of the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern including CRI’s Director, Dr. Sean Morrison, a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator; Dr. Ralph DeBerardinis, Professor with the CRI and a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator; and Dr. Prashant Mishra, Assistant Professor with the CRI. The funds will be used to study the regulation of metabolism in metastatic melanoma. Cancer that has metastasized, or spread beyond the site of its original appearance, is far more likely to be fatal, and this work is aimed at uncovering some of the conditions that lead to metastasis, with the ultimate aim of slowing or preventing metastasis. This study extends prior work from the Morrison and DeBerardinis laboratories showing that anti-oxidants benefit cancer cells more than normal cells, and promote the survival of melanoma cells during metastasis. By better understanding the underlying mechanisms, the team hopes to develop pro-oxidant therapies that would block metastasis.

    Dr. Morrison holds the Mary McDermott Cook Chair in Pediatric Genetics and the Kathryne and Gene Bishop Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Research at Children’s Research Institute at UT Southwestern. Dr. DeBerardinis holds the Joel B. Steinberg, M.D. Chair in Pediatrics.

    • $6,000,000 to Dr. Yang-Xin Fu, Professor of Pathology, Immunology, and Radiation Oncology, to study how radiation turns on the immune system to fight cancer. The goal of radiation therapy is to kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA, but radiation has also been shown to stimulate the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells. For this reason, therapeutic combinations that pair radiation with immunotherapy, which also uses the immune system to fight cancer, are especially promising. The mechanisms by which radiation stimulates the immune system are poorly understood, and the three research studies funded by this grant will explore these mechanisms, with the goal of designing more effective combinations of radiation and immunotherapy.

    Dr. Fu holds the Mary Nell and Ralph B. Rogers Professorship in Immunology.

    High impact, high risk awards:

    • $200,000 to Dr. Neal Alto, Professor of Microbiology, to explore mechanisms of drug resistance in lung cancer. The identification of biomarkers that predict drug resistance in patients is a key challenge in cancer treatment. This research will investigate a potential new mechanism of cancer cell-resistance to a promising new class of chemotherapy drugs, called “SMAC mimetics.” The study aims to uncover what drives resistance, as well as to pinpoint biomarkers to predict SMAC-mimetic resistance.

    Dr. Alto is a UT Southwestern Presidential Scholar and a Rita C. and William P. Clements, Jr. Scholar in Medical Research.

    • $200,000 to Dr. Nan Yan, Associate Professor of Immunology and Microbiology, to study adverse events associated with cancer immunotherapy. Immunotherapy, which recruits the body’s immune system to fight cancer, is one of the most exciting medical advances in recent years. But immunotherapy also has the potential to lead to autoimmune disease in some patients. This study will use autoimmune-prone mice to develop ways to predict adverse reactions to immunotherapy.

    Dr. Yan is a Rita C. and William P. Clements, Jr. Scholar in Medical Research.

    • $200,000 to Dr. Jian Xu, Assistant Professor with the CRI and of Pediatrics, will develop new experimental and computational tools to study acute myeloid leukemia. The study will search for structural variations in the human genome, such as insertions or deletions in DNA. These results will help translate findings from cancer genetic studies to mechanism-based therapies for blood cancers.
    • $200,000 to Dr. Zbyszek Otwinowski, Professor of Biophysics and Biochemistry, to study repair of broken DNA. The body has a mechanism for repairing broken DNA, but many cancer patients have defects in DNA repair that result in deletions of short fragments of their DNA. This study hypothesizes that the number of deletions, combined with other features of the deletions themselves, may serve as a biomarker in cancer diagnosis and treatment. The research will develop a method that will use whole genome sequencing data to quantify and classify deletions.

    Core facility support awards:

    • $3,723,260 to Dr. Michael Story, Professor of Radiation Oncology, for a Preclinical Radiation Core Facility. More than 50 percent of cancer patients are treated with radiation therapy. Preclinical radiation research performed using cell or small animal models is important for understanding radiobiological mechanisms and developing new treatments. Not all medical facilities that provide radiation therapy have the technology or staff to participate in pre-clinical studies. The Preclinical Radiation Core Facility at UT Southwestern will bring the most up-to-date technologies to UT Southwestern and will be a source of expertise for other facilities in Texas.

    Dr. Story holds the David A. Pistenmaa, M.D., Ph.D. Distinguished Chair in Radiation Oncology.

    • $5,394,842 to Dr. Xie and Dr. Skapek to build a Pediatric Cancer Data Core. Dr. Skapek holds the Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Oncology Research.

    Expansion of cancer prevention services to rural and medically underserved population award:

    • $2,592,731 to Dr. Mamta Jain, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, for hepatitis screening. Liver cancer is the fastest-growing cancer in Texas and the majority of these cases are caused by hepatitis C, which is curable. This grant will extend a screening and treatment program among high-risk groups in Dallas County, South Texas, and El Paso.
      Evidence-based cancer prevention services award:
    • $1,349,700 to Dr. Simon Lee, Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences, for breast cancer screening for rural and underinsured women across 35 North Texas counties through the Moncrief Cancer Institute in Fort Worth. This grant will fund at least 1,500 screening mammograms, 750 diagnostic mammograms, and 138 biopsies, while evaluating geographic access to strengthen the network of screening partners in these communities.

    UT Southwestern is recognizing its 75th year in 2018. The Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of 49 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the U.S. and the only one in North Texas, is among just 30 U.S. cancer research centers to be designated by the NCI as a National Clinical Trials Network Lead Academic Participating Site.

    ABOUT UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER

    UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 17 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty of more than 2,700 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, 600,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year. Find out more at www.utsouthwestern.edu

  • JPS Health Network announces new Foundation Executive Director

    JPS Health Network announced in a release that Kristin N. Sullivan has been named as the organization’s new JPS Foundation Executive Director.

    Sullivan was selected following an extensive national search. She joins JPS during a period of remarkable growth as the healthcare system invests strategically in core facilities, regional health centers, mental and behavioral health and cancer care and its role as a teaching hospital that prepares future physicians and other providers to serve the community.

    Sullivan’s duties will include leading the team charged with securing gifts, goods and grants to advance JPS excellence and help improve the health of the families served by the network. Her first day will be Monday, September 17.

    “Kristin’s extensive knowledge of Tarrant County, its leaders and institutions will enable her to build on the past success of the JPS Foundation,” said Robert Earley, president and CEO of JPS Health Network, in the release. “We are thrilled to have her join our team and look forward to shaping an even brighter future for the
    foundation and JPS.”

    Sullivan is a seasoned leader in strategic communications and nonprofit management who has served in a variety of roles across Tarrant County institutions. Most recently, she has been the founding executive director of Read Fort Worth. The privately funded collective impact effort was founded in 2016 by Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Fort Worth school district Superintendent Kent P. Scribner, and business, civic and philanthropic leaders to align partners and programs so that 100 percent of third graders are reading on grade level by 2025.

    From 2008 until 2016, Sullivan served in senior communications roles and ultimately as an associate vice president The University of Texas at Arlington during a period of record philanthropic, research and enrollment growth.

    Prior to joining UT Arlington, Sullivan served as an assistant managing editor and longtime editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, leading newsrooms in Arlington and Northeast Tarrant County.

    Sullivan earned degrees in political science and journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She and her husband have two sons.

    *Photo via LinkedIn

    ABOUT JPS FOUNDATION

    The JPS Foundation serves as the bridge to connect community leaders and benefactors with JPS Health Network to create healthier communities, particularly those who are most in need. While JPS receives some property tax dollars, the care provided could never be done without additional funding. The JPS Foundation exists to secure philanthropic gifts, goods and grants, providing service and support to improve the health status of families receiving health care via JPS. Find out more on the foundation’s website.

  • Parkland Health & Hospital System receives $1M Donation from Hillcrest Foundation for Breast Health Center

    Parkland Health & Hospital System announced in a release that the Hillcrest Foundation has committed $1 million to help create a new comprehensive breast center, joining generous donors throughout the community who have raised $36 million for the project.

    “The Trustees of the Hillcrest Foundation believe strongly in the direct access and opportunity for quality healthcare to all persons in our community,” said Debra Phares, Philanthropic Client Director for U.S. Trust/Bank of America Private Wealth Management, on behalf of the Trustees of The Hillcrest Foundation, in the release. “As we follow the intent of Mrs. Caruth Sr., this grant to Parkland directly aligns with the mission of the Foundation to promote and support healthcare to the people of Texas. On behalf of the Trustees, we are grateful for the work of Parkland and are honored to be a small part in bringing resources together to serve all.”

    A new comprehensive breast center will allow Parkland to bring together breast health services under one roof, making screenings, treatment and follow-up care more convenient for patients. The new center will also expand services, providing a pathway to achieving national recognition. Through the new comprehensive breast center Parkland will:

    • increase breast health equity for the underserved,
    • increase capacity to care for more patients,
    • co-locate services to improve access to care,
    • improve patient outcomes and satisfaction, and
    • provide new programs for patients and families.

    “The Hillcrest Foundation is a champion for advancing the health and well-bring for those in need in every corner of our community,” said David E. Krause, Parkland Foundation President and CEO. “We are grateful for their most recent gift to support the creation of a new breast center that will improve access to life-saving screenings and treatment for Parkland’s patients with nowhere else to turn for care.”

    Each year, Parkland provides breast health services for 30,000 and diagnoses and treats 400 patients with breast cancer, volumes that greatly exceed other hospitals. From screening and diagnosis to surgery and recovery, breast health patients at Parkland must currently access services at up to 10 separate locations. For patients, this can be difficult and frustrating, and results in late appointment starts, missed appointments and cancelled procedures. Time from screening to diagnosis to treatment determines survival for cancer patients.

    *Photo courtesy of Parkland Health & Hospital System

  • Cook Children’s receives $100,000 grant from Bank of America for Fostering Health Program

    Cook Children’s announced in a video posted on its Facebook page that Bank of America has granted the organization’s Fostering Health program $100,000 to help newly placed foster children.

    This grant will help foster children receive important exams, evaluations and improve healthcare for abused and at-risk kids.

    The Fostering Health program was started in the Fall of 2017 in response to a new law that was going to be passed requiring new children entering the foster care system to have a health screening within three business days of removal from their situation, as well as a well-child’s check up within 30 days.

    The Fostering Health program takes care of children in foster care and kinship care. The program should now be able to better track children who move through different placements.

  • JPS Health Network to relocate cancer center

    JPS Health Network announced that it is poised to begin work on relocating its cancer center after its Board of Managers and the Tarrant County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a sublease agreement between JPS and UT Southwestern Moncrief Cancer Institute for medical space located at 1450 8th Avenue in Fort Worth.

    The 51,170 square-foot facility, currently occupied by Texas Oncology, will be renovated for JPS’ use in providing comprehensive cancer and blood disorder treatments for JPS patients. This move is consistent with the hospital district’s long-range strategic facilities plan and also aligns with recent recommendations by the Commissioners Court-appointed Citizens Blue Ribbon Committee, which studied future healthcare needs in Tarrant County and JPS’s role in meeting those needs.

    “Cancer is one of this most discriminating of diseases for many,” said JPS President and CEO Robert Earley. “Too often patients delay seeing a doctor until their disease has progressed to stage 3 or 4. We are committed to increasing access to care for all residents of Tarrant County to fight cancer at the earliest possible time.”

    Extensive renovations, which will begin in September and should be completed by April 2019, will include the addition of a pharmacy and laboratory needed to support infusion services. The facility, about the same distance from the main JPS campus as the current cancer center, offers expansive surface and garage parking for patients and employees.

    “Expanding access to cancer treatment has long been part of our strategic goals,” said Charlie Powell, chair of the JPS Health Network Board of Managers. “It is exciting to accelerate that achievement through the additional space being leased from UT Southwestern Moncrief Cancer Institute.”

    *Photo courtesy of JPS and shows the current cancer care center.

    ABOUT JPS HEALTH NETWORK

    JPS Health Network’s mission is to transform healthcare delivery for the communities it serves. JPS Health Network provides outstanding compassionate care to Tarrant County residents which translates into over 1.8 million patient encounters each year. With more than 6,500 team members, JPS is dedicated to making lives better in the community it serves. Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • Children’s Medical Center Dallas only North Texas Hospital ranked in 10 of 10 Pediatric Specialties by U.S. News & World Report

    Children’s Health℠ has announced that its flagship hospital, Children’s Medical Center Dallas, has been recognized among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report for 2018-2019. Children’s Medical Center is the only hospital in North Texas ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties in the annual Best Children’s Hospital report, which is based on patient treatment outcomes.

    “In our second century of service, Children’s Health remains dedicated to our mission of making life better for children,” said Christopher J. Durovich, president and chief executive officer of Children’s Health. “As the only pediatric hospital in North Texas ranked in 10 out of 10 specialties, this outstanding achievement is a testament to both our commitment to excellence, as well as our vision and aspirations for the future. I am humbled and honored to work alongside each of our team members, with special thanks to our colleagues at UT Southwestern, who helped us achieve this milestone.”

    To create the pediatric rankings, U.S. News & World Report gathers key clinical data from nearly 200 medical centers through a detailed survey that looks at measures such as patient safety, infection prevention and adequacy of nurse staffing. In addition, part of each hospital’s score is derived from surveys of more than 11,000 pediatric specialists who are asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty. Children’s Medical Center Dallas overall rankings for 2018-2019 include:

    • Orthopedics: No. 3
    • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery: No. 6
    • Cardiology & Heart Surgery: No. 7
    • Urology: No. 13
    • Neurology & Neurosurgery: No. 14
    • Nephrology: No. 16
    • Diabetes & Endocrinology: No. 22
    • Neonatology: No. 24
    • Cancer: No. 28
    • Pulmonology: No. 47

    “Children’s Health is driven by the continued pursuit of excellence and advancement to improve the lives of the nearly 300,000 patient families we serve each year,” said David Berry, president, system clinical and scientific operations at Children’s Health. “We are extremely proud to have our tireless efforts acknowledged and affirmed by an institution as reputable as U.S. News and World Report.”

    The full report on Best Children’s Hospitals can be viewed on U.S. News’ website here.

    ABOUT CHILDREN’S HEALTH

    Children’s Health℠ is the eighth-largest pediatric health care provider in the nation and the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas, providing a full spectrum of health care services — from daily wellness and primary care to specialty visits and critical care. Holding eight disease-specific care certifications from The Joint Commission, Children’s Health has been consistently named one of the nation’s top pediatric providers by U.S. News & World Report. The Children’s Health system includes Children’s Medical Center Dallas, as well as Children’s Medical Center Plano, Our Children’s House inpatient rehabilitation hospital, multiple specialty centers, Children’s Health Pediatric Group primary care practices, rehabilitation facilities, home health, physician services and the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern. Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • UT Southwestern ranked world’s No. 1 academic medical center for published research

    UT Southwestern Medical Center is the No. 1 academic medical center in the world for publishing high-quality scientific research, according to the Nature Index 2018 Annual Tables released recently. UT Southwestern is ranked first among peer institutions that include Columbia University Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and UC San Diego Health.

    UT Southwestern, which is commemorating its 75th anniversary this year, is among the youngest academic medical centers on the list. Others rounding out the top 10 include the University of Michigan Health System, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, UCLA Health, and Duke University Health System.

    “As one of the world’s foremost research institutions, UT Southwestern has long cultivated an environment where the pursuit of rigorous scientific research blends seamlessly with multidisciplinary collaboration, resulting in a strong record of leading-edge discoveries and consistent translation into new treatment development,” said Dr. Dwain Thiele, Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, and Dean of UT Southwestern Medical School. “Our ranking as the No. 1 academic medical center in the world for publishing discoveries in the highest-quality journals is a testament to the research being conducted every day in the hundreds of labs across campus, where senior faculty, early career researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students tirelessly work on discovering the underlying causes of disease and the ways in which we can improve health and extend life.”

    The UT Southwestern faculty has received six Nobel Prizes since 1985, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 16 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 15 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators

    The Nature Index 2018 rankings include primary research articles published in a group of 82 high-quality science journals selected by a panel of active scientists, independently of Nature Research. The selection process provides a consensus of the upper echelon of journals in the natural sciences. The list of publications includes both multidisciplinary journals and some of the most highly selective journals within the main disciplines of the natural sciences.

    More information about the Nature Index can be found on its FAQ page.

    ABOUT UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER

    UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 16 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 15 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty of more than 2,700 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, 600,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year. Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • UT Southwestern Medical Center launches outreach campaign for students to discuss mental health

    UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Dr. Madhukar H. Trivedi (pictured above) recently posted an opinion piece on the organization’s website announcing that he and his team have launched an outreach campaign into area school districts, bringing trained facilitators, under the supervision of a psychologist, into classrooms to discuss mental health and suicide prevention with middle and high school students. He states that, so far, his team has reached more than 8,000 students, and schools report that more teens are opening up to teachers, guidance counselors and parents and seeking help.

    In the piece, Dr. Trivedi, a psychiatrist, explains that this effort is in response to the lack of mental health screening available for teens, and the increase in teen suicides in recent years. He states that: “Suicides, the No. 2 cause of death for teens, have risen dramatically in recent years – up about 70 percent between 2006 and 2016, according to federal statistics. Nearly 13 percent of adolescents age 12 to 17 had a major depressive episode in 2016, up from 8 percent in 2006. The rise of online bullying, family and school stresses, trauma and substance abuse are among the factors contributing to this problem.”

    Dr. Trivedi explains that both primary care doctos and parents are often reluctant to assess a teen patient’s mental state because they haven’t had adequate training or are afraid to make the teen feel worse. He emphasizes the importance of mental health screenings by saying: “Unfortunately, our society tends to ignore the mental health of teenagers until there’s an overdose or other tragedy. The time has come for doctors to reach out to teens who need help before they have a crisis.”

    In addition to the outreach program, Dr. Trivedi’s team has “developed an innovative web-based application, VitalSign6, to enhance health care access and the standard of care for those affected by depression. Through its use, physicians have access to validated depression screening and assessment tools that measure associated symptoms and provide clinical decision support for treating depression.”

    Dr. Trivedi concludes with: “There remains a stigma attached to mental illness in our society, but continuing a don’t-ask-don’t-tell approach is not the way to go. We are losing too many of our children. Routine screening for mental health conditions, as well as early diagnosis and intervention, can change the course of – and perhaps even save – a young person’s life.”

    Read the full article here.

    Madhukar H. Trivedi, M.D., is director of the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care at UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute in Dallas. Photo courtesy of UT Southwestern Medical Center.

    ABOUT UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER

    UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 16 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 15 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty of more than 2,700 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, 600,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year. Find out more on the organization’s website.

     

  • Parkland Health & Hospital System receives $15M gift from Moody Foundation

    The Moody Foundation has made a $15 million gift to help create a new comprehensive breast center at Parkland Health & Hospital System, Parkland Foundation and the Moody Foundation announced in a press release.  The lead gift to the fundraising effort will be recognized by naming the new center the Moody Breast Health Center at Parkland. This gift has brought the fundraising effort for new center to more than $30 million.

    “For thousands of patients per year, the Moody Breast Health Center will speed up the time between screening, diagnosis and treatment. Faster treatment will help save more lives,” said Frances Moody-Dahlberg, Chairman and Executive Director, Moody Foundation. “The Moody Foundation is proud to help more breast cancer patients become breast cancer survivors.”

    The new center will bring together breast health services under one roof, making screenings, treatment and follow-up care more convenient for patients. The new center will offer advanced tomosynthesis screening technology and expanded genetic counseling. Along with breast imaging, the center will house a multidisciplinary team working together in the same space, improving continuity of care and leading to better outcomes for patients while also providing a pathway to achieving national accreditation.

    Parkland treats 20 percent of all breast cancer cases in Dallas County, and that number is expected to rise as the Health Care Advisory Board predicts a 15 percent increase in breast cancer incidence in Dallas County over the next five years. The patients cared for at Parkland are racially and ethnically diverse, often younger and diagnosed at later stages in their disease than national and regional norms. Most are uninsured or underinsured and rely on Parkland, the only public health system in Dallas County, for care and treatment.

    “So many of our patients don’t have anywhere else to go to receive the life-saving care they need,” said W. Phil Evans, MD, FACR, FSBI, Clinical Professor and Division Chief, Breast Imaging, George and Carol Poston Professorship in Breast Cancer Research, and Director, UT Southwestern Center for Breast Care. “They need to have the opportunity to be screened like other women in the community, to have cancer found early, and to be treated for the best chance of survival. Due to advances in screening and treatment, the death rate from breast cancer has decreased by 40 percent since 1990. We want our patients to have this benefit.”

    Find out more here.

    ABOUT PARKLAND HEALTH & HOSPITAL SYSTEM

    Parkland Health & Hospital System first opened its doors in 1894 and is now one of the largest public hospital systems in the country. The hospital averages more than 1 million patient visits annually. Services include a Level I Trauma Center, the second largest civilian burn center in the U.S. and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The system also includes 20 community-based clinics, including primary care and women’s clinics, 12 school-based clinics and numerous outreach and education programs. Parkland is the primary teaching hospital for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Find out more on the hospital’s website.

  • Texas Health receives $10M gift from Jane & John Justin Foundation

    Texas Health announced in a press release that the Jane & John Justin Foundation has made a $10 million gift to support expansion of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. The project will feature a nine-story patient tower and major modernization of surgical services.

    Through the Justin Foundation’s lead gift, the new tower will be called the Jane & John Justin Patient Surgical Tower.

    “We are extremely humbled by this gift and grateful to the Justin Foundation for its generosity and support at the onset of this important project,” said Barclay Berdan, FACHE, CEO of Texas Health. “Having such a prominent and well-respected name as Justin on our patient surgical tower further validates our commitment to Fort Worth and the communities we serve. And it reflects the Foundation’s commitment to Jane and John’s legacy of giving back to Fort Worth.”

    The late John and Jane Justin

    “It is never about just getting their name out there,” said J.T. Dickenson, president of the Jane & John Justin Foundation, named after the late civic and business leader and his wife of almost 50 years. “They wanted to make a real impact on Fort Worth and surrounding communities. That’s why they gave back financially to these programs, but also gave of their time and leadership. I know they would be thrilled to support this needed and significant patient surgical tower benefiting all of Fort Worth and bearing their name.”

    The new patient surgical tower will add 144 beds, 15 surgical suites, and a new pre-operative and post-operative services area to the Texas Health Fort Worth campus. The expansion will help address the health care needs of Tarrant County residents and other fast-growing communities in the hospital’s service area, which includes more than 1 million people in 42 ZIP codes. Those communities have grown by almost 300,000 in the past 15 years.

    Construction on the Jane and John Justin Patient Surgical Tower is expected to start in mid-2018 and be completed by late 2021. The facility will be located on the main Texas Health Fort Worth campus.

    “The project will have the latest design features, advanced medical equipment and a comforting environment for patients, their families and visitors,” said Laura McWhorter, vice president of the Texas Health Foundation. “It will increase Texas Health Fort Worth’s capacity to care for those in need and help retain leading clinicians already practicing at the hospital and attract more of the country’s top surgeons and caregivers. I can’t think of a more beautiful way to carry on Jane and John’s legacy.”

    ABOUT TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES

    Texas Health Resources is one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit health systems in the United States. The health system, which along with UT Southwestern founded Southwestern Health Resources in 2016 to make it easier for North Texans to access the highest quality care consistently in a responsive and coordinated manner, includes 29 hospital locations that are owned, operated, joint-ventured or affiliated with Texas Health Resources. It includes Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, Texas Health Arlington Memorial, Texas Health Harris Methodist and Texas Health Huguley Hospitals, Texas Health Physicians Group, outpatient facilities, behavioral health and home health, preventive and fitness services, and an organization for medical research and education. For more information about Texas Health Resources, call 1-877-THR-WELL, or visit www.TexasHealth.org.