Download The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

The Uni v er sit y of Tex a s
Southwester n Medic a l Center at Da ll as
The 1980s ushered in
As the medical center readies
the
its new University Hospital,
modern era of cardiology,
scheduled to open in 2015, funds
bringing with it many important
from the latest Foundation gift will
milestones,
including
the
allow UT Southwestern to take
development of the first
its multidisciplinary treatment
implantable defibrillator and the
approach to even greater heights.
first artificial heart. In 1985, a
Plans for the new hospital
discovery that would ultimately
facility include an entire floor
change the way heart disease is
comprised of interventional suites
treated around the world was
and operating rooms, which will
publically recognized when two
allow all the heart, lung, and
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dr. Mark Drazner (left), associate professor of internal medicine,
vascular procedural specialists
scientists – Drs. Michael Brown
medical director of the Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation
to work together in a unique
and Joseph Goldstein – won
Program and holder of the James M. Wooten Chair in Cardiology,
collaborative
environment
the Nobel Prize in physiology or
and Dr. Dan Meyer, associate professor of cardiovascular and
thoracic surgery and holder of the Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay
focused on application of
medicine for their discovery of
Distinguished Chair in Thoracic Surgery.
the latest technologies and
the underlying mechanisms of
research, explained Dr. John
cholesterol metabolism.
Warner, associate professor of internal medicine – cardiology
Their research, which would eventually impact millions,
and medical director of the Doris and Harry W. Bass Jr.
paved the way to the development of cholesterol-lowering
Clinical Center for Heart, Lung, and Vascular Disease at UT
statin drugs. These medications today are the most widely
Southwestern.
prescribed in the U.S.
“The generous gift from the Sammons Dallas Foundation
The decade also brought the creation of a major
will allow us to continue constructing the type of collaborative,
philanthropic force in cardiology research – The Sammons
multidisciplinary center, which facilitates our efforts to recruit
Dallas Foundation. A staunch advocate of education, medical
and retain the very best clinicians and clinical investigators
research, and patient care, the Foundation has become one
and translate our research breakthroughs into improved
of Texas’s most loyal and committed philanthropic entities.
patient outcomes,” said Dr. Warner, who holds the Audre and
This year, the Sammons Dallas Foundation donated
Bernard Rapoport Chair in Cardiovascular Research and the
$20 million to support heart, lung and vascular programs at
Jim and Norma Smith Chair for Interventional Cardiology.
UT Southwestern through The University of Texas Investment
Sammons Enterprises Inc. and the Foundation both were
Management Company.
established by Mr. Sammons, who in 1938 founded Reserve
The endowment will support the Elaine D. and Charles A.
Life Insurance Co. in downtown Dallas. Mr. Sammons believed
Sammons Heart, Lung, and Vascular Comprehensive Center
that the value of a company was determined by more than the
at UT Southwestern, a facility which will include inpatient
bottom-line numbers. With 3,800 employees internationally
and outpatient services, as well as clinical and translational
and assets approaching $45 billion, Sammons Enterprises
research programs.
ranks among the largest privately owned companies in the
“This is a tremendous gift, and we are extremely
world. The diversified holding corporation owns and operates
grateful to the men and women of Sammons Enterprises
businesses across a variety of industries. It also manages a
and the directors of the Sammons Dallas Foundation for
large investment portfolio.
their trust and generosity,” UT Southwestern President Dr.
When Mr. Sammons died in 1988, he entrusted his
Daniel K. Podolsky said of the Foundation’s latest donation.
businesses to his wife – who served as chairman of the board
“Our medical center is widely recognized as having one of
until her death in January 2009 – to see that the employees
the nation’s leading heart, lung, and vascular research and
and management remained true to his ideas
treatment centers, and we rely on support
about making a difference in the community.
like this to maintain our momentum.
The heart, lung, and vascular programs
We feel most fortunate to be included in
at UT Southwestern provide seamless,
the legacy of Elaine and Charles Sammons
individualized care for adult congenital
and are thrilled about the opportunities this
heart disease, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac
significant contribution will mean for UT
imaging, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery,
Southwestern.”
electrophysiology, general cardiology, heart
In 2009 the Foundation had donated
failure, heart and lung transplant, interventional
$100,000 to foster similar programs at UT
cardiology, interventional radiology, lung
Southwestern. The gift was given through St.
transplant pulmonology, mechanical circulatory
Paul Medical Foundation, which, since 1983,
assistance, preventive cardiology, pulmonary
has received more than $1.57 million from
hypertension, vascular and endovascular
the philanthropic arm established by the late
Dr. John Warner
surgery, and other disorders.
Charles A. and Elaine Sammons.