T. Boone Pickens: A legacy of impact for Texas
In this issue
- T. Boone Pickens’ gift establishes endowment for graduate medical education
- Harris and Anne Clark gift helps the underserved
- Lucy Gildea, board member profile
- Lisa Barker and her family give back after receiving the gift of life
2023 Celebrating Women Luncheon
A medical home for the underserved
Giving back for the gift of life
Board member profile: Lucy Gildea, PhD
Why stocks make good gifts
Letter from the President
Generosity has the power to transcend time and generations, leaving a lasting impact that extends far beyond our own lifetimes. As Pablo Picasso once said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” These words resonate strongly with the concept of generational and planned giving, which holds immense importance in philanthropy.
Recently, Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation announced that T. Boone Pickens, a renowned philanthropist, had left a generous $10 million bequest to benefit graduate medical education. This remarkable provision, made more than a decade ago, will undoubtedly provide a significant boost to a program that has already nurtured thousands of fellows and residents since 1909. Such acts of planned giving not only exemplify the compassion and foresight of individuals like Mr. Pickens but also showcase the enduring impact they can make on the causes most meaningful to them.
At the Foundation, similar bequests are received every year, with the majority directed toward areas where grateful patients have personally experienced the transformative power of care. In addition, the Foundation is inspired by physicians—like Dr. Mark Millard—who choose to include our Foundation with annual gifts and in their estate plans.
In May, the Foundation gathered to celebrate donors who have followed in the footsteps of T. Boone Pickens and Dr. Millard by making similar provisions—members of our Boone Powell Sr. Society. This esteemed society stands as a tribute to the extraordinary individuals who have chosen to include the Foundation in their estate plans, reflecting their deep appreciation for the physicians, nurses and staff who have touched their lives. It was an honor to meet these remarkable people and listen to their heartfelt stories filled with gratitude and pride.
In a world that often moves at a rapid pace, embracing the power of generational and planned giving reminds us of our ability to make a difference that extends far beyond our own lifetimes. Every gift, no matter its amount or mode given, becomes a thread in the tapestry of philanthropy, weaving together the stories of countless lives touched and transformed.
As we reflect on the words of Pablo Picasso, let us remember that the true essence of life lies in our ability to give selflessly, leaving a meaningful impact that echoes throughout generations.
Ben Renberg
President,
Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation
Your generosity fuels groundbreaking research, life-changing treatments and compassionate care for patients and families in our community.
Letter from the Chair
As the school year draws to a close and graduation ceremonies fill the air with anticipation and celebration, it is a time of reflection on the profound significance of preparing the next generation of leaders. Among these emerging leaders, few are as critical as the future physicians who will shape the healthcare landscape in Texas and beyond.
At our most recent Foundation board meeting, I had the distinct honor of announcing a $10 million estate gift from the late T. Boone Pickens to support graduate medical education (GME) at Baylor University Medical Center. This program is where aspiring physicians evolve from learners into compassionate healers, armed with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to navigate the complex challenges of modern healthcare. It is through this transformative process that they acquire the expertise to provide quality care and positively impact the lives of countless patients.
These future physicians will deliver lifesaving care to patients like the Barkers, who rely on the expertise of transplant surgeons to restore hope and extend their lives. Our residents and fellows will advance medical research that revolutionizes treatments and outcomes for those facing healthcare challenges with limited options—like the dedicated research led by Dr. O’Shaughnessy.
The future physicians will help address healthcare disparities and care for underserved populations across Texas—like the work led by Dr. Zsohar and his teams at the Community Care Clinics—preparing them to deliver quality care to those who often go without.
With a projected physician shortage in Texas of 10,000 by 2032, GME is critical to the sustained excellence of care in our System and the advancement of health and well-being in our communities. We could not do the work we do without generous philanthropists who make gifts with the future in mind.
Boone’s gift is one of many that will have a profound impact. Countless others’ generous support is driving impact in areas across our System, and as we wrap up another fiscal year at the Foundation, a couple of truths stand out from an eventful year: Philanthropy matters in advancing training, patient care, medical treatments and breakthroughs, and we have reason to be optimistic on the healthcare front, as the miracles of modern medicine will only accelerate in the days ahead.
Norm Bagwell
Chair, Board of Directors
Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation
Read Past Issues
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Spring 2025
In this issue, we cover the York family's $7 million commitment to help launch the Texas Cancer Interception Institute; the new Lipid Metabolism Center at BUMC; and music therapy during end-of-life care.Read More Spring 2025 -
Winter 2024
In this issue: Celebrating Women marks its 25th anniversary; Dr. Shelley Hall and Dr. Guiliano Testa discuss 40 years of Transplant Services at BUMC; and BUMC launches a new Street Medicine program.Read More Winter 2024 -
Fall 2024
In this issue: First patients enroll in Multi-Cancer Early Detection study at Baylor Scott & White, and intercepting breast cancer recurrence through weight lossRead More Fall 2024