89R18297 BK-D
By: AnchÃa H.R. No. 518
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Representatives of Children's Health in Dallas are
gathering on March 12, 2025, to commemorate Children's Health ECMO
Day at the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a
life-support system for critically ill children with heart or lung
problems, and the specialists of the ECMO team at Children's Health
in Dallas are dedicated to providing advanced, round-the-clock care
to young patients who are in need of this innovative form of
therapy; and
WHEREAS, ECMO works by circulating a patient's blood through
a machine that removes carbon dioxide and adds oxygen; a child can
receive ECMO therapy for several days to weeks while undergoing
care at Children's Health, during which time they are treated by a
specialist team in the hospital's pediatric intensive care unit;
and
WHEREAS, Located in the Southwestern Medical District in the
heart of Dallas, Children's Health has been the primary clinical
partner of UT Southwestern Medical Center since 1961; over the past
35 years, the hospital has provided extracorporeal life support to
more than 1,200 patients, giving them hope for survival when all
other forms of conventional life support have failed; and
WHEREAS, The ECMO program at Children's Health has received
international recognition as a Platinum Center of Excellence from
the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization; Children's was also
the first institution in the world to have its ECMO educational
program endorsed by ELSO, following a review of the course in March
2017; and
WHEREAS, Bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to
their work, the ECMO specialists at Children's Health include
Drs. Ethan Sanford, Archana Dhar, Cindy Darnell-Bowens, Lakshmi
Raman, Amy Lee, Priya Bhaskar, and Sam Davila, registered nurses
Marshall Stephenson, Laura Hatton, Margarita Ramos, William
Smiley, Brittany Cramer, Amy Hadley, Kari Powers, Michael Williams,
Emily Collins, and Ricardo Medrano, and registered respiratory
therapists Donna Taylor, Shannon Mills, Kevin Lovett, Bob
Villanueva, George Sutherland, Dan Hill, Darla Lytton, and John
Darling; and
WHEREAS, Through their commitment to the effective delivery
of ECMO therapy at Children's Health, these dedicated medical
professionals have helped many critical care patients on the path
to recovery, and it is indeed fitting that they be recognized for
their invaluable contributions; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 12, 2025, as Children's Health
ECMO Day at the State Capitol and honor the members of the ECMO team
at Children's Health for their exceptional service to North Texas
families; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.