The Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center to Host Illumination Dinner on May 19 at TMC Helix Park
NEWS RELEASE
Award-winning Broadcast Journalist Melanie Lawson to be Honored;
International Speaker and Author Dr. Sunita Puri to Deliver Keynote Presentation
HOUSTON, Texas (March 16, 2026) — The Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center will host its annual Illumination Dinner on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. at TMC Helix Park. TMC Helix Park is located at 7255 Helix Park Ave. in Houston. A signature fundraising event hosted by the Institute, the Illumination Dinner attracts over 250 community leaders, healthcare professionals, and supporters each year for an evening dedicated to advancing the Institute’s mission of exploring the intersection of spirituality and well-being.
The Institute will honor Melanie Lawson, an award-winning broadcast journalist and community advocate, as the 2026 Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Caring Heart Award recipient. Melanie Lawson retired in January 2025 from KTRK ABC 13 after serving in both reporter and news anchor roles for 43 years. She is known as a champion of underserved Houston communities, advocating for social justice, spiritual enrichment, and service to benefit others.
Dr. Sunita Puri will deliver the keynote presentation. Dr. Puri is an associate professor of medicine and director of the Inpatient Care Service at the University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, will serve as the keynote speaker. She is recognized for her compassionate work bridging medicine and the human experience of living and dying. She is also the author of the book, That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour, which has garnered impressive reviews from major media outlets such as The Atlantic, NPR, and People Magazine.
All event underwriters will receive a signed copy of That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour. Underwriter opportunities are available, ranging from $500 to $25,000. Individual tickets are available for $250 each. Please contact Elisa Dreghorn, director of development for the Institute, for more information at edreghorn@ish-tmc.org or 713 797 0600 x 3.
Funds raised at the Illumination Dinner will benefit the Institute's four Centers of Excellence: the Center for Faith and Public Health; the Center for Body, Spirit, and Mind; the Center for Aging and End of Life; and the Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Center for Healthcare Professionals.
“Melanie Lawson is a beloved native Houstonian. She was chosen as this year’s recipient of the Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Caring Heart Award because she embodies the integration of spirituality and health at the highest level. Melanie models compassion and integrity in every aspect of her life. Her dedication to uplifting others reflects the very heart of our work,” commented Stuart Nelson, president and chief executive officer of the Institute.
Nelson added: “Melanie Lawson and her father, Rev. Bill Lawson, knew Rabbi Karff personally, and they modeled the same spirit of love, kindness, and service to others as did Rabbi Karff. Bill Lawson was a civil rights leader and founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston. Rabbi Karff was a respected and widely popular interfaith leader in the Houston community who served as senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel for almost 20 years. He demonstrated his empathy for others through his unwavering commitment to servant leadership, and he was a loyal friend and supporter of the Institute for decades.”
Nelson explained that Dr. Puri’s keynote address will explore the transformative power of language and compassion in healthcare.
“Dr. Puri’s messages resonate deeply with our mission, and I am confident that our Illumination Dinner guests will be inspired,” Nelson said. “Dr. Puri reminds all of us that medicine is not simply about extending life—it’s about honoring the humanity of every patient.”
In 2019, The Guardian produced a mini-documentary of Dr. Puri’s work with patients. The film has been viewed over 3.5 million times.
About the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center
The Institute is an independent, interfaith organization established in 1955. A founding member of the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, it continues to make a meaningful difference by cultivating well-being for all community members.
The Institute’s mission is to enhance well-being by exploring the relationship between spirituality and health. It advances this mission through education, research, and direct service programs, guided by its four Centers of Excellence: the Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Center for Healthcare Professionals, the Center for Body, Spirit, and Mind, the Center for End of Life and Aging, and the Center for Faith and Public Health. For more information about the Institute or to sign up for the Institute’s free newsletter, please visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org.
Media Contact:
Laura Pennino, Senior PR Consultant for The Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center
mobile: 713-419-1776 | email: lp@penninoandpartners.com