GARLAND, TX — The 2025 Celebration of Hope was a heartwarming event that showcased the resilience and achievements of the Hope Clinic. The breakfast began with a recognition of all of the partners in the room and a prayer by Dana Cooper, followed by a powerful kickoff by Shon Cass. He emphasized how the clinic has overcome significant hardships and shared key statistics that underline its impact on the community.
In the past year, Hope Clinic conducted 4,000 patient visits and served 1,300 patients, with 96% of those patients receiving chronic disease management and education. Furthermore, 90% of female patients aged 50-70 received mammogram screenings. The clinic recently launched a new Thursday night urgent care clinic, staffed entirely by volunteer physicians, and achieved a remarkable ranking in the top 10% on the National Press Ganey Scale for patient satisfaction.
The Press Ganey survey is a valuable tool used by healthcare organizations to gather feedback on care quality and patient experiences, helping identify areas for improvement.
The event featured inspiring stories from volunteers, including Lucy Marroquin, who shared her journey. After spending a month in a coma and enduring 20 months of illness, she expressed having a hard time staying hopeful, but added, “My healthcare team was my army of angels. Same thing happens at Hope Clinic. Our patients at Hope Clinic didn’t have hope at one time, but they found hope when they found Hope Clinic.”
Another volunteer, Melody Siroosian, who is preparing to enter medical school, shared her insights, stating, “I found clarity; this is the kind of doctor that I want to be.” Her experience with the doctors at Hope Clinic has profoundly influenced her career aspirations.
Executive Director Tanya Downing recounted the various challenges Hope Clinic has faced, including times of financial uncertainty. She highlighted the deep support from Jamie Miller, EVP and East Market President of Veritex Bank, who has consistently assisted the clinic during difficult times. “Everybody should have a Jamie Miller on their board, you can’t have mine. I can call Jamie, and Jamie is calling me back. I can call him on a Saturday, and he will call me back. If I text Jamie, he will always be responsive,” she noted, expressing gratitude for his contributions.
Jamie Miller also addressed the audience to share the story about how the Wheels of Hope show came to be. Sharing, “Basically, I started collecting cars,” and after ruminating on the idea of creating a car show, he was standing on the Garland downtown square when he thought, “Wow, this is the perfect place for a car show!”
Attendee Yadi Gonzalez, representing Springcreek Church, shared her family’s experience with Hope Clinic. Her father-in-law, who relies solely on Social Security, received essential care that led to successful eye surgery after struggling with high blood pressure and cholesterol. “It was basic medical needs for blood pressure and cholesterol,” Gonzalez explained.
Dana Cooper from Veritex Community Bank, who collaborates with Jamie Miller, spoke about the upcoming 10th Annual Wheels of Hope car show, scheduled for October 18th from 10 AM to 3 PM in downtown Garland. The event will benefit Hope Clinic, and Dana fondly recalled the vision of Dr. Martha Sandford and Ms. Barbara Burton, who played pivotal roles in establishing the clinic.
Barbara Burton, now 91, shared her memories of the clinic’s early days, recounting how they transformed a small house into a community resource. “The first breakfast was actually in 2007 after we opened in January. We said everybody had worked so hard, let’s tell everybody thank you,” she recalled.
The event also featured catering by Ays Catering & Event Planning, enjoyed by all attendees.
The Celebration of Hope was made possible by generous sponsors, including:
- Wheels of Hope Presenting Sponsor: Veritex Community Bank
- Platinum Sponsor: Sydna & Don Gordon
- Gold Sponsors: Metro Heals Anesthesia, Al & Phyllis Horstman, Texas Security Bank, Tim & Leslie Henson
- Silver Sponsors: First Baptist Church, Frost Bank, Baylor Scott & White, City of Garland, Mark King
- Bronze Sponsors: American National Bank, Garland Chamber of Commerce, Garland Police & Fire Departments, Jack & Karen Whiteside, Stan & Becky Luckie, Springcreek Church, and Pat and Bob Walker
To support the Hope Clinic, donations can be made through their website. Additionally, this weekend, Caliber Car Wash in Rowlett will host Clean for a Cause, donating 50% of wash proceeds to the clinic. Patrons can participate by mentioning “WORD” at checkout.
To become a patient of Hope Clinic, visit the patient application page on their website.
The Celebration of Hope was a testament to the vital role Hope Clinic plays in improving lives in Garland.
