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t m c ยป p u l s e | d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 2 ROBERT C. ROBBINS, M.D. President and Chief Executive Officer, Texas Medical Center I was halfway around the world, in China, when I heard the sad news that Dr. Denton A. Cooley had died at age 96. The Texas Medical Center, the city of Houston, the state of Texas and people around the world mourn the passing of this pioneering heart surgeon who played a part in every major development of cardiovascular surgery. Dr. Cooley was born in Houston and he died in Houston. He helped make the city a hub of heart surgery and innovation, and his skill and ambition helped put the Texas Medical Center on the map. I first met Dr. Cooley in 1984, at the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons annual meeting in New Orleans. I was a second year surgical resident, and I naively approached this icon of American surgery and told him of my dream to be a heart surgeon. He was gracious and encouraged me to work hard. In the following decades, I got to know Dr. Cooley and was lucky enough to be visiting the TMC on his 76th birthday. He had just performed a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass operation with the heart beating without the support of the heart-lung machine. Dr. Cooley told me surgeons needed to remain curious, and should always strive to create new methods to improve the care of their patients. Dr. Cooley performed more heart operations than any surgeon in history. It was my great fortune to have known him and learned from him, one of the best and brightest medical stars. The Texas Medical Center was blessed to have him in our midst. We should all be inspired to continue the work that became Dr. Cooley's life mission: To improve the health of the people of Houston, Texas, our nation and the world. President's Perspective TMC | PULSE Vol. 3 No. 11 December 2016 President and Chief Executive Officer Robert C. Robbins, M.D. Vice President of Communications Christen David Pulse Editor Maggie Galehouse mgalehouse@tmc.edu Digital News Editor Shea Connelly sconnelly@tmc.edu Staff Writers Alexandra Becker Shanley Chien Christine Hall Britni N. Riley Photojournalist Cody Duty Contributing Photographers Scott Dalton Nick de la Torre NEWSROOM 713-791-8812 news@tmc.edu ADVERTISING 713-791-8894 newsads@tmc.edu DISTRIBUTION 713-791-6130 distribution@tmc.edu TMC Pulse is an award-winning monthly publication of the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Permission from the editor is required to reprint any material. Editorial/advertising information is available upon request. Texas Medical Center News is a member of Houston Press Club, American Medical Writers Association, Association of Healthcare Journalists, and American Advertising Federation.