Driscoll and Texas Senator Hinojosa celebrate new Valley hospital with community ribbon cutting
18 August 2024 - 1:16AM
On Saturday, McAllen-Edinburg residents joined Driscoll Children's
Hospital Rio Grande Valley for a memorable ribbon cutting event.
Families enjoyed community activities together while celebrating
the opening of the first freestanding designated children’s
hospital in the Valley.
Those attending heard from Driscoll leadership
about the historic opening of the hospital, which more than 14
weeks after beginning services, is already transforming lives and
healthcare in the region.
“This is just the beginning,” said Eric Hamon President &
CEO, Driscoll Health System. “…God bless you and God bless the
children we take care of.”
Matt Wolthoff, President of Driscoll Children's Hospital Rio
Grande Valley, said the ribbon cutting event was as a celebration
of a new standard of care in the Rio Grande Valley.
“Believe it or not, in three months of operations we’re
already talking about capacity: how do we grow, how do we make more
room?” Wolthoff said.
Texas Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, whose district
contains Edinburg and the new hospital, also attended the ribbon
cutting ceremony to give remarks and receive an award from the
Children’s Hospital Association of Texas.
The nonprofit group representing children’s
hospitals in Texas honored Senator Hinojosa with a “Children’s
Health Care Hero Award” for his work in the legislature advocating
to improve healthcare for children. Stacy E. Wilson, President of
Children's Hospital Association of Texas, spoke at the event and
praised Hinojosa for his focus and advocacy on healthcare in the
Texas Legislature, especially the need for medical providers in the
Valley.
“We know that you can’t have a healthy kid without a healthy
mom,” Wilson said. “It is so important to ensure moms have
access to preventative care and mental health services and are able
to get checkups, and Senator Hinojosa helped
make this happen.”
Hinjosa said he was humbled, honored and believed that the
entire South Texas delegation and community deserved the award
too.
“I thank all our healthcare providers who work in children’s
hospital,” Hinojosa said. “They have the experience, the knowledge,
tienen corazón— they have heart, to work with children.”
Facts and figures: Driscoll Children’s Hospital
Rio Grande Valley
- 119
pediatric beds, including 63 NICU beds
-
Eight surgery suite operating rooms
-
175,000 square feet, $100 million in construction and equipment
cost
-
More than 30 pediatric medical and surgical specialties
-
Acute care 24 hours a day, seven days a week
###
About Driscoll: Driscoll is the premier
healthcare provider for kids in South Texas. We are a nonprofit
healthcare system that has served communities in the Lone Star
State since 1953. Today, Driscoll is the fastest-growing healthcare
system in the region, offering care at the region’s only two
freestanding designated children’s hospitals: Driscoll Children’s
Hospital Corpus Christi and Driscoll Children's Hospital Rio Grande
Valley, and at specialty centers and clinics across South Texas.
Our non-profit community-based health plan, Driscoll Health Plan,
offers Texas families access to local physicians and other
lifesaving benefits.
Teresa Rodriguez
Driscoll Children's Hospital
9563694320
Teresa.Rodriguez@dchstx.org