2011
Dr. Denton A. Cooley
Countless heart patients throughout the world owe their very lives to Dr. Denton Cooley, who has performed over 100,000 open heart operations, has contributed to the techniques for repair and replacement of diseased heart valves, and has pioneered surgical treatment of cardiac anomalies in infants and children. A builder as well as a healer, Dr. Cooley also established the Texas Heart Institute and formed the Cooley Surgical Society of more than 800 surgeons. This Houston native received his education at The University of Texas at Austin, where he was both Phi Beta Kappa and a member of the Southwest Conference Championship basketball team. He spent two years at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Upon completion of his training, Dr. Cooley served on the medical faculty at Baylor College of Medicine before becoming Chief Surgeon of the Texas Heart Institute (housed in the Denton Cooley Building). Among his more than 120 honors and awards are the Medal of Freedom presented by President Ronald Reagan, the National Medal of Technology presented by President Bill Clinton, the Theodore Roosevelt Award presented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to a varsity athlete who has achieved national recognition in his profession, and the American Surgical Association Medallion of Scientific Achievement for "distinguished service to surgery." He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of both The University of Texas at Austin and Johns Hopkins University and has received decorations from 12 foreign countries.
Countless heart patients throughout the world owe their very lives to Dr. Denton Cooley, who has performed over 100,000 open heart operations, has contributed to the techniques for repair and replacement of diseased heart valves, and has pioneered surgical treatment of cardiac anomalies in infants and children. A builder as well as a healer, Dr. Cooley also established the Texas Heart Institute and formed the Cooley Surgical Society of more than 800 surgeons. This Houston native received his education at The University of Texas at Austin, where he was both Phi Beta Kappa and a member of the Southwest Conference Championship basketball team. He spent two years at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Upon completion of his training, Dr. Cooley served on the medical faculty at Baylor College of Medicine before becoming Chief Surgeon of the Texas Heart Institute (housed in the Denton Cooley Building). Among his more than 120 honors and awards are the Medal of Freedom presented by President Ronald Reagan, the National Medal of Technology presented by President Bill Clinton, the Theodore Roosevelt Award presented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to a varsity athlete who has achieved national recognition in his profession, and the American Surgical Association Medallion of Scientific Achievement for "distinguished service to surgery." He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of both The University of Texas at Austin and Johns Hopkins University and has received decorations from 12 foreign countries.