Suri Swamy
IRVING: Prominent business leaders Chan and Surekha Patel have pledged a gift of $2 million to enhance the cardiovascular and surgical care at the city’s only charitable community hospital, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Irving. This is the single largest gift given by any donor in the history of the Baylor Scott & White Irving Foundation.
Announcing this gift, Cindy Schamp, President of Baylor Scott & White – Irving, said, “Chan and Surekha are strong supporters and champions of the great work we are doing at Baylor Scott & White – Irving.” In recognition of their contribution, Chan and Surekha Patel’s name will be added to the hospital’s Medical Office Building One.
The Patel’s gift is being been made in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary, celebrated earlier this year. The gift continues a legacy the Patels have established of giving back to the communities that have nurtured and supported them through a lifetime of hard work and achievements. “When I left Mumbai, India to attend Stanford University in 1965, leaving behind my family and our 8’ x 10’ one-room house with 6 occupants, I dreamed of the opportunities that were possible through grit, determination, and effort,” said Chan. “With Surekha by my side, together, our dreams have been achieved, and with our success comes the responsibility to help make life better for others.”
Chan is an entrepreneur, a hotelier with hotels located from Manhattan to Texas, and the founder of the State Bank of Texas, the largest Indian owned and operated community bank in the United States which has received numerous national awards for being a top performing bank. He also serves on the boards of Baylor, Scott & White – Irving and Irving Hospital Authority. Surekha is the strong backbone of the family who has played key roles to shape their success in business, in the community and as a family – from founding board member of the bank to past Chairperson for the SLPS Aastha Charities to master motivator to her children and husband. Patels are very active leaders in the Indian community. They spearheaded the construction of the SLPS Community Center in Irving, a 55,000 square foot community center for the DFW Gujarati “Patel” community which is named in their honor. And their work extends internationally, as well: in 2019, they opened a heart catheterization lab near their hometown in India, charging nominal rates for testing and heart procedures previously unavailable.
The Patel’s commitment to cardiovascular causes is a personal one: Chan has survived two major heart attacks including his first at the age of 37. The unprecedented gift to Baylor, Scott & White – Irving will have a lasting impact on the hospital’s services. Cindy Schamp offered a glimpse into the future, saying, “As we look ahead, we will continue to expand, improve and enhance our cardiovascular care and surgical services and with this gift we will make a positive impact in our commitment to provide exceptional patient and family-centered care.”
“Most everyone knows someone who has needed surgery, or whose life has been affected by heart or vascular disease,” Chan Patel explained. “Surekha and I and our family are proud to make this philanthropic investment in the Baylor Scott & White as we know it will benefit the entire Irving and DFW community who rely on our hospital.”
In addition to the cardiovascular and surgical improvements made through the Patels’ gift, a new six-story patient bed tower also is currently under construction. The tower will replace the current patient tower with the first floor seamlessly integrated with our main tower. Scheduled to open in 2021, the new tower will connect to the new main lobby and the hospital. Three years in the planning, every aspect of the new patient tower was designed with input from clinical staff and patients. The new tower is a major investment in the future healthcare of Irving and the surrounding areas. Some highlights include: Smart technology throughout the building, from the patient infotainment system on large flat screen televisions, to integration with the electronic medical record, to specific-need call lights, to digital wall plates outside patients’ rooms that display patient’s special needs.
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