This inaugural event not only celebrated the generosity of UTMB Health employees but also highlighted the vital role their contributions play in advancing the university's mission of education, research, patient care and innovation.

A grateful heart: A surgeon reunites with a patient’s family 21 years later
For Dr. Fraser, the encounter was equally moving—a poignant reminder of the enduring impact of his work and the privilege of serving patients and their families during life’s most critical moments. “Most often, I hear about the long-term outcomes of my patients through notes and cards, which is always deeply moving,” Dr. Fraser remarked. “But to experience it in person was uniquely humbling.” Although Kendra and Dr. Fraser’s unexpected encounter lasted for just a moment that day, it is clear that the gratitude and joy they shared is poised to resonate in their hearts for years to come.

Q&A with UTMB Development Board Chair Dr. Ashley Purgason
During a recent conversation, Dr. Purgason spoke about her time at UTMB, her giving history and her leadership plans for the Development Board.

UTMB establishes Sealy Department of Emergency Medicine with $11.8M Sealy & Smith Foundation gift
To honor The Sealy & Smith Foundation for its $11.8 million gift toward emergency medicine, UTMB names the new Sealy Department of Emergency Medicine.

Caring for Kids at UTMB
Daniel “Tiny” Guidry (center) celebrates his roots with special events sponsored by his organization, Bon Temps Rouler (BTR) Cajun Throwdown. Not only does Guidry give back to his community, he also gives to UTMB through his BTR Caring for Kids Endowment.

Professorship supports innovations in treatment of eye diseases
“Thanks to the Campbell Professorship, I have been able to make significant progress in our efforts to advance the understanding and treatment of eye diseases." The professorship has enabled me to pursue cutting-edge research projects at the interface of biomedical imaging, bioengineering, and vision research aimed at identifying new diagnostic methods and therapies.” - Massoud Motamedi, PhD, Charles H. and Mary Campbell Professor in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

From family tragedy to family tradition: Robert Zinn’s journey of support for biomedical sciences
Robert Zinn, whose family tragedy sparked a tradition of philanthropy, invests in the future of biomedical sciences at UTMB.

Paying it forward: Investing in the next generation of nursing leaders at UTMB
Dr. Brandon “Kit” Bredimus, whose time at UTMB prepared him to be an accomplished nursing executive, has made a commitment to establish a scholarship that empowers future nursing leaders. “I look back on my time at UTMB as transformative, helping me grow into who I am today,” Dr. Bredimus remarked. “The university definitely set me up for success.”

UTMB alums, the Billingses, share a passion for rural medicine and their alma mater
We posed the following questions to them about their careers and what UTMB means to them and why it was important that they give back.

A love story of a lifetime: "I wanted to give something to UTMB that I was confident would grow"
Don and Jan Wagner shared a love that endures. Their generosity at UTMB, likewise, will live on at UTMB. Among the five endowments bearing the Wagners’ names at UTMB are scholarship awards that honor the couple’s shared roots in health care.