On Wednesday, May 14, Texas Woman’s University Dallas hosted a dedication ceremony celebrating the expansion and new name of its renowned Stroke Center—now officially the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center, in recognition of a $2 million gift from Dallas businessman and philanthropist Mike A. Myers.

Located at the TWU T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences – Dallas Center, the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center provides life-changing, no-cost outpatient care for individuals recovering from strokes, brain injuries, and other neurological conditions, while also serving as a clinical training ground for future healthcare professionals. The recent expansion includes a new swallowing clinic, bilingual staffing to improve access for Spanish-speaking patients, and technology upgrades to enhance clinical research and student instruction.

The evening featured remarks from TWU leaders, including Stroke Center Director Jyutika Mehta, Ph.D., who spoke about the impact of the center’s mission. “At the Stroke Center, we’re changing brains and changing lives,” Mehta said. “Our program is about small victories, large victories, and the setbacks that become comebacks.”

The ceremony also highlighted patient and caregiver testimonials. Among them were a stroke survivor who regained his speech, a young man who recovered his ability to drive following a traumatic brain injury, and a former student who shared how the center’s interdisciplinary care model benefits both patients and future healthcare professionals.

Mr. Myers closed the program by reflecting on the center’s impact. “I am thrilled to be able to support this amazing center which provides critical assistance to families in our Dallas community who are dealing with stroke and brain injury-related challenges who otherwise might not be able to afford proper treatment,” Myers said. “It is my hope and desire that through these expanded services, even more lives will be transformed and positively impacted by this important and worthy program.”

Monica Christopher, president of the TWU Dallas campus, added, “We are grateful for this important gift from Mr. Myers, who sees the benefit of a center focused on helping patients get intensive rehabilitation support, while also training our students to work as an interdisciplinary team in addressing a patient’s health needs.” 

The celebration also served as an important reminder that May is Stroke Awareness Month. The Stroke Center team encourages the public to learn the warning signs of stroke and remember the *FAST method. For more information about the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center or to apply for care, visit twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas. 

MORE ABOUT STROKE AWARENESS: 

Symptoms of stroke include numbness, confusion, trouble walking or seeing, dizziness, and severe headache. Since these symptoms can be caused by many conditions, use the *FAST test to help you react quickly:

F (Face): Is any part of the face drooping? Can the person having symptoms smile? Does the smile appear uneven?

A (Arms): Can the person lift their arms? Does one arm drift downward?

S (Speech): Is the person’s speech slurred or nonsensical?

T (Time): Remember that time is critical. If stroke is suspected, call 9-1-1 immediately. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT MIKE A. MYERS STROKE CENTER:

To learn more about Stroke Center clinical trials or treatment programs, visit twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas or call/email 214-689-6592 or strokecenter@twu.edu. To find out more about eligibility for treatment, visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/how-to-apply-for-treatment/. To make a donation to the Stroke Center, visit giving.twu.edu.      

About TWU: Texas Woman’s University is the nation’s largest woman-focused university system with campuses in Denton, Dallas and Houston. Founded in 1901, TWU has built a reputation on contributions in nursing, healthcare, education, the arts and sciences, and business. TWU’s inclusive culture prioritizes experiential learning, leadership, service, discovery and health and wellbeing, and national media have recognized the university as a top college for student-parents, veterans and social mobility. In 2023, TWU publicly launched Dream Big, a $125 million fundraising effort to support programming, equipment, scholarships and faculty. To learn more about the campaign or the university, visit dreambig.twu.edu or twu.edu, or connect with TWU on Facebook @TexasWomansUniversity, Instagram @txwomans, Twitter @txwomans, and LinkedIn @texaswomansuniversity. 

About TWU Dallas: Texas Woman’s first established a presence in Dallas in 1954, when the nursing program was launched at Parkland Hospital. Today, the T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences – Dallas Center is a 190,000-square-foot facility that sits in the heart of the Southwestern Medical District. Since then, Texas Woman’s has become a notable contributor to the healthcare workforce, graduating an average of 2,000 nursing and allied health professionals each year.

The Dallas campus also is home to the renowned Stroke Center, which provides more than 5,000 hours of clinical, neuro-rehabilitation services annually at no cost to members of the community. In addition to an MBA and graduate level Healthcare Administration programs, the Dallas campus offers upper-level undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs in nursing, occupational therapy and physical therapy.