Dear Friends,
On behalf of Southwestern Medical Foundation, I would like to extend our deepest appreciation to you for making 2025 a year of remarkable progress and purpose. Together, we celebrate the generosity, vision, and leadership that continue to shape our shared legacy of excellence. This year stands as a powerful testament to what can be achieved through collaboration and commitment. Because of your steadfast support, our mission to advance medical discovery, education, and patient care both endures and flourishes, creating a healthier and more hopeful future for all.
With 2026 on the horizon, we are excited to share nine highlights we achieved together this year. Every milestone we have achieved this year reflects an unwavering commitment from our community. As we look ahead, we do so with profound gratitude and optimism, knowing that this continued support will improve health outcomes for North Texans.
We wish you a holiday season full of happiness, good health, and lasting memories with those you love.
Sincerely,
Michael McMahan
President & CEO
Southwestern Medical Foundation
Embracing New Talent on our Board
We were honored to welcome 11 exceptional leaders to our Board of Trustees: Kasim Alfalahi, Joe O’Brien, Jim Burke, Mona Carlton, Amanda George, Michelle Lobel, R. Kent McGaughy Jr., Adriana Perales, Karen Pollock, John Poston, and Nicole Sheridan. Their diverse expertise and experience will provide invaluable guidance as we respond to the evolving needs of the communities we serve. Read more
Honoring Community Leaders with
The Sprague Award
We proudly celebrated Carolyn and David Miller as recipients of The Sprague Award for their unwavering dedication to improving health and advancing medical science. Through their impact-focused giving and exemplary leadership, they have enriched the Dallas community and enhanced the quality of life for countless individuals. Read more | Video | Event Photos
Welcoming Key Medical Leaders to North Texas
UT Southwestern Medical Center proudly welcomed two renowned leaders to advance medical progress. Jaehyuk Choi, M.D., Ph.D., a physician-scientist whose work has significantly advanced cancer immunology, was appointed the inaugural Director of the Center for Cellular Therapies and Cancer Immunology in the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Choi also serves as Vice Chair for Translational Research and Innovation in the Department of Dermatology. Daniel Hommes, M.D., Ph.D., an expert in gut immunology and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), joined UT Southwestern as Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer. In this role, he will bridge academic research with biomedical innovation, fostering new translational opportunities. Read more about Dr. Hommes and Dr. Choi.
Moody Children’s Hospital Named in Honor of Transformational Grant
The Moody Foundation provided the largest gift to date for the new $5 billion pediatric campus in Dallas. Slated for completion in 2031, the state-of-the-art Moody Children’s Hospital will help meet the increasing demand for pediatric health care and expand access to high-quality care for every child. It will serve as a collaborative center for innovation, academic research, training and the advancement of lifesaving technologies. Read more
Celebrating 10 Years of The Cary Council
In 2015, The Cary Council was launched to support early-stage medical research that would create real momentum for medical progress. Over the past decade, the Council has achieved remarkable success, awarding a total of 24 grants to early-stage researchers at UT Southwestern, which have led to more than $30 million in follow-on funding. Learn how these “DocStars,” including our 2025 grant recipients, are advancing a new era of medicine. Read more | Origin Video
Earning Best Places to Work Recognition in North Texas
For the second consecutive year, Southwestern Medical Foundation received a Best Places to Work Award from the Dallas Business Journal for its exceptional workplace culture. This distinction highlights our team’s outstanding collaboration and unified vision. It also underscores our steadfast devotion to creating lasting, meaningful impact across North Texas. Read more
Recognizing 30 Years of The Wildenthal Society
For three decades, planned gifts through The Wildenthal Society have empowered compassionate and visionary individuals to make a lasting impact on our community. These generous contributions have helped UT Southwestern remain at the forefront of groundbreaking research, education, and innovative patient care. We are deeply grateful to our donors for their vision of a brighter future. Read more
Breaking Ground in Fort Worth, Expanding Cancer Care
UT Southwestern has officially broken ground on a $177 million Radiation Oncology campus in Fort Worth, designed to deliver the most advanced cancer therapies to residents of one of the fastest growing regions in the nation. Scheduled to open in 2028, the campus will be connected to UT Southwestern’s Moncrief Cancer Institute. This transformative expansion is made possible in part by a generous lead gift from esteemed philanthropists Sherri and Robert “Bobby” L. Patton Jr., whose support is helping to shape the future of cancer care in North Texas. Read more
Continuing the Ho Din Legacy
Prajwal Gowda, M.D., received the prestigious Ho Din Award—our highest distinction for medical students—recognizing his excellence in academics, service, and scholarship. Dr. Gowda’s passion for medicine was sparked at a young age. After visiting his grandfather in India following major heart surgery, he witnessed firsthand the profound impact physicians have in saving lives. The Ho Din Award represents the highest ideals of knowledge, understanding, and compassion in medicine, which are qualities Dr. Gowda exemplifies through his intellect, empathy, and unwavering desire to serve others. Read more
