Efforts to Forge International Relationships Continue
(News of Note - January 16, 2009) Dr. James T. Willerson, President and Medical Director of the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital (THI at SLEH), believes that THI at SLEH should be an institution without walls or boundaries—not only in the Texas Medical Center, but one that also has strong international partnerships with collaborative opportunities for training of outstanding physicians, research and patient care worldwide.
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Ambassador Zhou, Dr. Willerson and Mayor Bill White
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Dr. Willerson recently hosted a visit by Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong and his wife, Madame Xie Shumin. During their visit, Ambassador Zhou and his wife were honored guests at two dinners attended by many community and medical leaders. They also met with medical and administrative leaders at THI and SLEH and received a comprehensive tour of the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital—the Denton A. Cooley Building. The tour was followed by a reception in the Ansary Atrium in honor of Ambassador Zhou and his wife, where Houston Mayor Bill White granted the ambassador a proclamation of Honorary Citizenship, noting that 2009 marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-US relations. Dr. Willerson presented Ambassador Zhou with THI at SLEH’s first Distinguished Citizen of the World Award, citing his leadership in earthquake relief, the Chinese hosting of the 2008 Olympics, and the Shenzhou 7 manned space mission and the first-ever “space walk.”
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Ambassador Zhou and Dr. Denton A. Cooley
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During the reception, Dr. Willerson said, “Like in the United States, heart disease is the number one medical problem in the Pacific Rim, but the only heart hospital is in Beijing. We realize the importance of serving as an institution without walls or boundaries not only in the Texas Medical Center, but also around the world. There is an opportunity for a THI at SLEH presence in the Pacific Rim with an emphasis on exchange at all levels: sharing our expertise, training health professionals and expanding the scope of research, discovery and medicine."
Ambassador Zhou thanked Mayor White and Dr. Willerson, THI at SLEH, and the city of Houston for their gracious hospitality. He conveyed his strong desire to have a THI at SLEH presence in the Pacific Rim and applauded Dr. Willerson and his colleagues for the progress that has been made.
“Impressive progress has been made,” said Ambassador Zhou. “It is important that efforts continue until the goal of collaboration is achieved.”
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