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Clinic Manager Furthers Education and Career with UT Health East Texas’ Tuition Assistance Program

After completing her Bachelor of Science in healthcare management, Rachel Villanueva, pediatric clinic manager for UT Health East Texas Physicians on Fifth Street, was planning on finally relaxing after earning her degree, several years in the making.

“I thought I was done with school,” Villanueva recalled with a chuckle just days after applying for a master’s of health administration program at The University of Texas at Tyler. “I was like, ‘When this bachelor’s degree comes through, I am done!’”

But Villanueva changed her mind after benefitting from UT Health East Texas’...

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UT Health East Texas Physicians in Quitman family physician retiring after 40 years of service to Wood County community

Quitman, Texas — After more than 40 years practicing medicine in Quitman, Dr. Beverly Waddleton will start the new year in a new way — retired.

Waddleton officially retires Jan. 1 after four decades treating patients in her hometown of Quitman.

 “It has been a very rewarding 40 years,” she said. “I look back now and some of the things I did seem almost surreal now.”

Waddleton said the desire to become a physician struck her the summer after she graduated high school.

“I think it was just kind of a spiritual calling. I grew up with my family...

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UT Health Tyler NICU receives donation of care packages

Having a newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit can be stressful any time of year, but having a baby in the NICU during the holidays can be even more trying for a family. A Tyler woman and her nonprofit organization is hoping to ease the burden by delivering care packages to the UT Health Tyler NICU.

Lexi Sullivan on Monday delivered the care packages on behalf of Eve’s Victory, an organization with the mission of bringing hope to families struggling with premature birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, having a disabled and/or ill baby or the loss of a child.

“It’s isolating...

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UT Health Tyler RN joins NICU team after his son’s positive NICU experience

Tyler, Texas (November 29, 2022) — Ollie Flores always had a calling for helping others, knowing he wanted to work in healthcare from a young age. But after a challenging few years working as a traveling nurse during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was facing burnout and had started to think about leaving the profession altogether.

But then his son, Teddy, was born requiring immediate care in the UT Health Tyler neonatal intensive care unit. Witnessing the NICU team’s skilled, compassionate care for his son and their enduring teamwork reignited his passion for the...

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10 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes

By Marci Wright, diabetes educator with UT Health East Texas

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to learn more about diabetes risk factors, diabetes prevention and preventing diabetes-related complications. Here are a few fast facts to get you started. For more information, visit the American Diabetes Association website, www.diabetes.org.

  1. About 37 million people in this country have diabetes – 13% of the population – according to the CDC.
  2. Diabetes can be prevented and treated. Making healthy...
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Olympic Center helps member maintain strength amid setbacks

Doug Delano became an Olympic Center member in July 2017 after moving to the area from Bandera, Texas. Doug decided to make the Olympic Center his health and fitness home due to the convenient location, friendly and professional staff always attentive to member needs, and the facility equipment and indoor pool.

Doug had a knee replacement in January of 2019 and received his physical therapy at the Hideaway Lake Olympic Center through May of that year. Doug was able to observe the quality of the physical therapy firsthand for several years prior to his bi-lateral knee replacement...

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Employee Spotlight: Ruth Rendon, Human Resources Executive Assistant

It took one person to offer Ruth Rendon a glimpse at her future, first by giving her a job and then opportunities to advance, offering support and mentorship along the way. Now Rendon is paying that forward in her position as a human resources executive assistant and certified interpreter for UT Health East Texas.

That boss and mentor gave Rendon a chance when she wasn’t sure where her path in life would lead. Rendon moved from Mexico City to Texas with her family when she was 8, struggling to learn English and sometimes bullied by others because of it. Rendon attended Angelina...

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Husband and wife work through their bariatric surgeries together!

Husband and wife work through their bariatric surgeries together!

Sometimes it is easier to do difficult things when you use the “buddy system.”

For the husband and wife team of Don and Lori Cupples, losing weight and recovering from gastric bypass surgery was much easier because they did it together at the same time.

The two live in Chandler and are patients of Dr. Charles Keith, a board-certified bariatric surgeon at the UT Health Tyler Bariatric Center. Don is 49 and is an English teacher and coach at Jacksonville High School. Lori, 52, is a dental...

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Employee Spotlight: Ivan Leon, Senior HR Business Partner

Ivan Leon has always been a helper, someone who facilitates communication and bridges gaps. First it was through his job as an EMS dispatcher, then manager of the EMS dispatch center. More recently he moved into a human resources role and joined the UT Health East Texas Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, where he feels his work is only just beginning.

Leon started his healthcare career as a 911 dispatcher after seeing the position advertised in his local newspaper right after he graduated high school.

“I said, ‘Let’s see what that’s all about,’ and I loved it. I loved...

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Whitehouse ISD sixth-grader donates coloring books to UT Health Tyler for Girl Scout project

Summer Patterson remembers all too well being a patient in the hospital, bored with nothing to do while she recovered from four eye surgeries before her 10th birthday.

The Whitehouse ISD sixth grader didn’t want other kids to face the same situation, so she used her Girl Scout service project to devise a solution. For her Bronze Award project, Summer created coloring books that she distributed to local hospitals, including UT Health Tyler, along with a set of crayons for each book.

“It was her idea, and she did all the work herself,” said Girl Scout Troop 6704...

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