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t m c » p u l s e | m a r c h 2 0 1 6 12 After the Storm The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston prepares for the grand opening of its new Jennie Sealy Hospital I think it's a symbol of not just the resiliency but the tenacity of the people here. — DONNA SOLLENBERGER Executive Vice President and CEO of The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston they might not have to. Today, nearly eight years later, the campus is preparing for the grand opening of the Jennie Sealy Hospital, a state-of-the-art, 765,000-square-foot facility built with the future in mind. "There are almost 2,000 pilings that go down 140 to 160 feet into the ground," said David L. Callender, M.D., president of UTMB. "We aren't going anywhere." The statement is intended to be both literal and symbolic. For a period of time after Ike, there was talk about whether UTMB should remain in Galveston at all. Discussions surround- ing the institution's future suggested that it didn't make sense to rebuild in a place where annual weather patterns threatened to repeat history. What this failed to take into account, however, was how indispensable UTMB was, clear the region relied heavily on us for medical care." Often cited as one of the most important reasons the Level 1 trauma center should remain in Galveston was the "golden hour"—a term used in emer- gency medicine to describe the period of time following a traumatic injury during which prompt medical treat- ment can be the difference between life and death. "Most of the time we have approx- imately 50,000 people on the island, plus a convention or visitor group, but during weekends in the summer months or some of our bigger events, that number will swell to a couple hundred thousand. Having a place for people to go for medical care without having to travel a substantial distance is important—especially if you're talking about trauma," explained Donna Sollenberger, executive vice president and CEO of UTMB. Sollenberger was brought in one year and a day after Ike to help rebuild the campus, a position she is honored to have filled. Brimming with pride, she considers the Jennie Sealy a gift back to Galveston, a thank you for the community's ongoing sup- port and resolve. "I think it's a symbol of not just the resiliency but the tenacity of the people here," she said. "The support has been overwhelming, and it really reinforces the fact that we serve so many people in so many ways." Sollenberger recalled seeing a MICU nurse walk out of the break room O n September 13, 2008, just after 2 a.m., Hurricane Ike made landfall on Galveston Island, leaving in its wake widespread and unprecedented damage. It razed thousands of homes, flooded historical landmarks and caused the temporary shuttering of The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) and its affiliated hospitals. But before the storm surge—before waves of debris came knocking on the doors of the century-old campus, before millions of dollars of medical equip- ment was flooded and fried—officials had resolved to evacuate all patients and nonessential employees. It was a decision that almost certainly saved numerous lives, but also one they hope to never have to make again. And, despite the likely inevitable recurrence of another major storm on the island, B y A l e x a n d r a B e c k e r and continues to be, in the south Texas region. "When you lose that much capacity, you learn a lot about your impact on a community," Callender said. "Between the loss of our Level 1 trauma center, our patients looking for places to go, and our physicians looking for a place to provide care for their patients, it was