For breast cancer survivor Elvia Gibbs, traveling from McAllen to Washington, D.C., was about more than advocating for legislation. It was an opportunity to tell lawmakers firsthand that cancer research and access to clinical trials can mean more time, hope, and quality of life for patients.

DHR Health’s Neuroscience Institute will host a free seminar for stroke survivors who want improved hand and arm movement as many stroke survivors experience impaired mobility and loss of function in the arm which can significantly affect their ability to   perform everyday activities.

Something significant is happening in medicine in the Rio Grande Valley. A level of specialized care that once routinely required Valley patients to travel hundreds of miles is now being delivered close to home — and earning recognition among leading kidney transplant programs in Texas and across the nation. DHR Health Transplant Institute has reached No. 2 in Texas and No. 16 nationally, marking an important moment for advanced medicine in South Texas.

The significance of DHR Health Transplant Institute’s latest recognition extends far beyond a hospital ranking. It raises a larger question for South Texas: Has the Rio Grande Valley reached the point where patients can look to the region not only for local healthcare, but for nationally competitive transplant medicine?