Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
DHR Health hosted a deeply moving graduation ceremony for the children of Bobbie Adame, a patient currently receiving advanced life support through ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation). Bobbie, hospitalized and unable to attend her children’s official ceremonies, watched proudly as her daughter Kaylynn and son Robert celebrated their academic milestones in her presence, surrounded by family, medical professionals, and community leaders.
Dr. Andrew Phillips, Intensivist and Medical Director of the ECMO Program at DHR Health, welcomed attendees and emceed the event. “There are few things more special to families than a graduation,” he said. “It’s not just a piece of paper—it’s a moment of achievement with your loved ones. We’re grateful to be a small part of that.”
Dr. Phillips also explained the life-saving nature of ECMO, a treatment used when even ventilators cannot supply enough oxygen to the body. DHR Health is the only hospital in the Rio Grande Valley with an ECMO program, allowing patients like Bobbie to remain close to home rather than travel to Houston, San Antonio, or Dallas. “We think of ourselves as the Valley’s ECMO Center,” he said, recognizing the hospital’s specialists and staff for their commitment and expertise.
The ceremony included full graduation regalia—caps, gowns, and personalized certificates—for Kaylynn and Robert Adame. Another graduate, Jose Manuel Acosta Jr. from IDEA San Juan College Prep, was also honored. Each was acknowledged individually, and DHR Chaplain Father Mishael Koday offered a blessing.
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