Celebrating the Life and Spirit of T. Boone Pickens

(1928–2019)

When the world lost T. Boone Pickens on September 11, 2019, at the age of 91, we mourned the passing of a generous man but celebrated the legacy of innovation that this change-maker embodied and enabled.

“Boone was never one to settle for the status quo,” Rowland K. Robinson, president of the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation, said. “Through his generous gifts to our initiatives at Baylor Scott & White, he ensured that patients and their families did not have to settle, either.”

A Visionary Philanthropist and Innovator

Pickens declared in an op-ed in Forbes magazine in 2017 that he was “a disrupter, before disrupters were cool.” The oil and gas magnate was known for his innovation in the energy industry and perhaps equally so for his heartfelt and generous philanthropic legacy.

“A spirit as large as that of T. Boone Pickens’ will forever be remembered. We are grateful to have a part of his legacy here with us, one that will benefit patients and families in Texas for decades to come.”

-Rowland K. Robinson

A Transformational Gift for Cancer Care

Pickens saw an opportunity for innovation in health care and decided to bring it to life with a transformational pledge of $10 million to Baylor Scott & White Health in 2012. In recognition of his generous support, the cancer hospital in Dallas not only bears his name but honors his commitment to excellence in innovation and patient care.

With a specialized staff trained in all aspects of cancer treatment, the Baylor Scott & White T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital’s dedicated facilities include a Blood & Marrow Transplant hen the world lost T. Boone Pickens on September 11, 2019, at the age of 91, we mourned the passing of a generous man but celebrated the legacy of innovation that this change-maker embodied and enabled. “Boone was never one to settle for the status quo,” Rowland K. Robinson, president of the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation, said. “Through his generous gifts to our initiatives at Baylor Scott & White, he ensured that patients and their families did not have to settle, either.”

Pickens declared in an op-ed in Forbes magazine in 2017 that he was “a disrupter, before disrupters were cool.” The oil and gas magnate was known for his innovation in the energy industry and perhaps equally so for his heartfelt and generous philanthropic legacy.

Pickens saw an opportunity for innovation in health care and decided to bring it to life with a transformational pledge of $10 million to Baylor Scott & White Health in 2012. In recognition of his generous support, the cancer hospital in Dallas not only bears his name but honors his commitment to excellence in innovation and patient care. With a specialized staff trained in all aspects of cancer treatment, the Baylor Scott & White T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital’s dedicated facilities include a Blood & Marrow Transplant Unit, Apheresis Center, Oncology Pharmacy, Infusion Center, Urgent Care Unit and Processing Lab for stem cells and bone marrow products.

A First-of-Its-Kind Oncology Emergency Center

The 96-bed, 175,000-square-foot facility became the first dedicated cancer hospital in North Texas. However, the hospital distinguishes itself by more than its patient volume: Like its namesake, innovation is core to its success. The hospital’s Oncology Evaluation & Treatment Center (OETC)—the first and only of its kind in Dallas-Fort Worth—provides dedicated emergency care for oncology patients in need 24 hours a day. Patients, many with weakened immune systems, are grateful that they have the center as an alternative to being exposed to infectious diseases in standard emergency rooms. Evidence has proven the OETC is a safe environment where cancer patients can receive quality care in a shorter amount of time.

Next to the OETC is another innovative offering of the hospital: the Infusion Center, offering the convenience of around-the-clock access to blood transfusions, as well as hydration, chemotherapy and biological therapy infusions. These services, all available on holidays and weekends, are critical for patients whose schedules make it difficult to receive infusions during regular office hours. For patients whose regular office hours are in the daytime, the option to sleep in the private rooms while infusing during the night offers the opportunity to maintain a normal work pattern.

Pickens was pleased with the opportunity to help patients and their families with their cancer journey at Baylor Scott & White.

“These unique programs at Baylor Pickens Cancer Hospital are tremendous examples of how health care can improve quality and reduce costs at the same time, which is essential for our country moving forward,” Pickens said in 2012. “I’m proud to have my name associated with them.”

“A spirit as large as that of T. Boone Pickens’ will forever be remembered,” Robinson said. “We are grateful to have a part of his legacy here with us, one that will benefit patients and families in Texas for decades to come.”