DONOR PROFILE
A Loving Legacy
Board chairman Tom Burdett establishes fellowship with a gift in memory of his late wife .
arlie Burdett always held a special place in her heart for the sick and elderly , especially after she became ill herself . In 1987 , no one in the Texas Panhandle could discover what was wrong with Mrs . Burdett , prompting her and her husband to visit what was then Scott & White in Temple where she was diagnosed with glomerulonephritis , a condition in which the tiny filters in the kidneys become inflamed . With successful treatment , her kidneys began functioning at 65 percent .
Unfortunately , 14 years later , Mrs . Burdett lost kidney function and began dialysis . It became clear that she needed a transplant . As luck would have it , her loving husband was a match and happily donated one of his kidneys . “ Carlie and I considered the date of the transplant as our second wedding anniversary ,” says Mr . Tom Burdett . Like most transplant patients , Mrs . Burdett ’ s immune system was compromised due to anti-rejection medication , and she was more susceptible to common illnesses . The couple decided to move to Sun City , a retirement community near Georgetown , to be closer to Mrs . Burdett ’ s physicians at Scott & White . “ With help from her doctors , she managed very well and had a very active life ,” Mr . Burdett says .
Over the next several years , Mr . and Mrs . Burdett became more involved with Scott & White and then Baylor Scott & White , volunteering on many fundraising projects including the building of the new hospital in Round Rock . Mr . Burdett was asked to join the Baylor Scott & White Central Texas Operating , Policy and Procedures Board of Trustees , and the Central Texas Foundation Board of Directors , and now serves as its chairman .
Through her own treatment and time spent volunteering , Mrs . Burdett became very well acquainted with the Scott & White clinic in Sun City . “ After observing the medical experiences of the older people at the clinic , we both had a special place in our hearts for them ,” Mr . Burdett says . “ My own profession was in estate planning , and with Carlie having been through all these health challenges herself , we were very mindful of the needs of people approaching the end of their lives .” In 2019 , Mrs . Burdett ’ s health took a turn for the worse and she passed away after a short illness . “ Not long after that , Dr . Christian Cable gave a presentation to our Foundation board on the need for sub-specialty training in hospice and palliative care ,” Mr . Burdett says . “ He talked about the national shortage of board-certified physicians in that area , and it really struck a chord with me .”
“ There are few areas of medicine that are more meaningful than the compassionate care of a dying person and their family ,” says Christian Cable , MD , MHPE , Medical Director of Education at Baylor Scott & White in Temple . “ Hospice
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THE COMPASS / BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE CENTRAL TEXAS FOUNDATION NEWS / WINTER 2020