Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/1208031
18 T M C N E W S . O R G LET'S HEAR IT FOR Team Spirit! Team Spirit! MASCOTS OF THE TMC B y C i n d y G e o r g e H igh-rise hospitals and state-of-the-art research facilities spring to mind when one envisions the Texas Medical Center. People, too—the experts and academics who've made Houston's gleaming medical city a leader in life sciences and innovation. But there's another element at play, a small cast of fun-loving characters creating something every community needs: Spirit. hospitals in north, southeast and western Texas. "The dove, as we describe it formally and informally, truly represents what we do, which is offer hope," said LifeGift CEO Kevin Myer. "More specifically, the dove in flight represents that tran- sition moment from very difficult, tragic times for a donor family into an amazing and incredible opportunity for life after transplantation. It just couldn't be more perfect." ③ Hunter Hunter is a sweet, 3-year-old Labrador Retriever who represents St. Dominic Village, a faith-based retirement community on Holcombe Boulevard at Almeda Road. The 100-pound, four-legged friend is a calming force for the resident seniors. He also mingles with board members. "He attends many meetings and will go from one side of the board room to the other when he spots the folks he knows will show him love," said Melba Hamilton Breed, St. Dominic's director of marketing and admissions. "He literally turns to the side he wants you to rub on." Hunter's pal, Ms. Kitty, is a stray cat adopted by St. Dominic Village who declined to give her age and was unable to accommodate photos or an interview. She can be observed activating automatic doors, hitching a ride on the walkers of residents, sleeping on top of desks or curling up in a chair someone was about to use. "There has never been a cat with so much atti- tude" Breed said. The two furry resident mascots happily interact with humans, but the party stops there. "When they see each other, they're like two ships passing in the night and never even make eye contact." Still, Ms. Kitty's aloofness—oops, we mean assertiveness—shouldn't sour her sweet side. Mascots are positive forces who unite diverse groups of people by providing a sense of loyalty, pride and belonging. Among the mascots of TMC member institutions are costumed tigers, fluffy dogs and a cardboard robot. With their quirks and individuality, TMC's ultimate brand ambassadors serve as pick-me-ups in places where not every- one always wins and not everyone always thrives. ① Cool-E Robot Project Heart is a beloved Texas Heart Institute (THI) program whose star is a fictional android called Cool-E Robot. He is named after cardio- vascular surgeon and heart transplant pioneer Denton A. Cooley, M.D., who founded THI in 1962. Project Heart is an elementary school curriculum designed to help pupils make heart-healthy choices. Cool-E Robot's origin and adventures are detailed in a storybook available in English and Spanish. He's an imaginary invention of Cooley's whose mission is to share heart health with chil- dren worldwide. Presently, Cool-E Robot is a two-dimensional cardboard cutout, but he may soon roam THI halls as an interactive 3D mascot. ② Dove in flight LifeGift's logo includes its mascot— a dove in flight—to express hope, freedom from the confines of disease and the moment of transformation offered by organ and tissue donation. The dove embodies the purpose and mission of LifeGift, a Houston- based organ procurement orga- nization that partners with TMC institutions as well as hundreds of ① ③ ⑤ ⑦