Letter from the President and CEO May 2026
Dear Reader,
When the founders of the Texas Medical Center gathered together in the mid 1950’s to consider their strategy for building what was to become the largest medical center in the world, they had a choice before them. On the one hand, they may have chosen to settle with the prevailing “Big Science” currents of post-war America, exemplified by rapid advances in nuclear, computational, and aerospace technologies and the promise of the fulfilment of the American dream. They very well could have built a medical center this way - dedicated solely to the sterile, “better, faster, stronger” realities of biomedicine.
Remarkably, they chose a different path - one that accounted for the reality of the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. The clearest sign of their commitment to this unorthodox yet profoundly inspired approach occurred on May 4, 1955, when they founded what was then known as the Institute of Religion. They planted the flag for the human spirit and laid the groundwork for decades of heart-centered work aimed at improving patient care, provider well being, and community thriving.
Of course, this decision did not come at the expense of the promises of science and technology. Our approach continues to be an integrative one in which we harness all the tools at our disposal to enhance whole-person health. That means using artificial intelligence to interpret community health data as we make informed decisions about our FaithHealth strategies. It means using telecommunications technologies to connect our support groups to individuals around the world. It means collaborating with leading medical and academic institutions to create cutting-edge curricula to train the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. And, it means holding science and spirituality accountable to each other.
In just under three weeks from today, on May 19th, we will host the Illumination Dinner benefiting the Institute for Spirituality and Health. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Sunita Puri, is a gifted physician, author, and person of faith who understands that spirituality must be accounted for in high-stakes healthcare contexts, particularly at the moments when questions of meaning, suffering, and dignity come most sharply into focus.
Drawing from her work in palliative care and her deeply human approach to medicine, Dr. Puri invites us to consider what it means to truly accompany patients - not only in body, but in spirit. Her voice speaks to the heart of the Institute’s mission.
As we wrap up the Institute’s 70th year and look to the future, I am reflecting on the profound choice our founders made to lean into this work. And, I am inviting you to make the same choice by supporting our work. Whether you join us at the event, make a general donation, or support us through the year - we simply cannot continue this work without you.
Warmly,
Stuart
Stuart C. Nelson
President & CEO
Loise Henderson Wessendorff Chair