Val Verde RMC | Keeping Well | Spring/Primavera 2019

4 Keeping Well/Mantenerse Sano 1959 Early/En sus comienzos Del Rio Hospital Community/Comunidad We’re turning 60! COME HELP US CELEBRATE 60 YEARS OF CARE T HE YEAR WAS 1959— a time of tail fins, Elvis and Eisenhower. And in Del Rio, it was time to open a new hospital that would later become Val Verde Regional Medical Center (VVRMC). This May, VVRMC will celebrate its 60th anniversary with the community in a special way. A LOT HAS CHANGED IN 60 YEARS When it was built in 1959, the hospital was originally called Val Verde Memorial Hospital. It became Val Verde Regional Medical Center in 1996. But the name isn’t the only thing that has changed. “We’ve grown a little bit over the years,” says Jeanette Gallegos, with a chuckle. Gallegos heads up the historical committee that is planning events to mark the anniversary occasion, and the quoted comments throughout this article are from her. At first there were about 30 patient beds, and now there are 96, she says. And over the years, three major renovations—in 1969, 1985 and 2002—changed the look of the building. The hospital has expanded to meet the needs of the community, whose population has nearly doubled since 1960. “Back in 1959, it was just a hospital. Now we also have five clinics and more than 700 employees.” Technology has also come into play. For instance, VVRMC’s state-of-the-art imaging services include digital mammography and one of the most advanced MRI units in the state. VITAL SERVICES CLOSE TO HOME Today VVRMC offers a much wider variety of services so that people who live around Del Rio don’t have to drive an hour or more to the big city to get the care they need. Those services include: ■ Cancer resources ■ Cardiac rehab ■ Cardiology and pulmonology ■ Ear, nose and throat care ■ General surgery ■ Hospice care ■ Mental health care ■ Orthopedics ■ Pediatrics ■ Physical and occupational therapy ■ Women’s health and obstetrics FESTIVITIES IN THE WORKS On Saturday, May 18, VVRMC will host a barbecue and open house from 3 to 7 p.m. to celebrate 60 years of caring. The event will include good music and delicious food. It’s open to the entire community. “Come out to enjoy the festivities and to learn more about the hospital.” A memory walk will display a series of old photos that show the changes that have taken place at the hospital over the years. One of the pictures depicts Del Rio Hospital. That was the hospital that preceded Val Verde Memorial Hospital. The site is now occupied by a local bank. “Just going through the old pictures and seeing the changes has been amazing. Back then, nurses still wore all white. And they wore the white caps.” After you eat and take the memory walk, stay for a guided tour of the hospital. You’ll learn more about the many vital services that VVRMC offers to help keep people healthy. “We’re here for the community, and the community has been here for us. It’s time to celebrate where we were 60 years ago and where we are today.”