UT Health East Texas to Host ECMO Survivor Reunion on May 4

Tyler, Texas (April 30, 2026) — UT Health East Texas will host its first ECMO Survivor Reunion on Monday, May 4, bringing together survivors, their families and the medical teams who supported them through lifesaving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment. The event will take place at the UT Health East Texas Pavilion, located at 801 Clinic Drive in Tyler.

Doors will open at 3 p.m., with refreshments available. A welcome program and survivor recognition ceremony will begin at 4 p.m., and the event will conclude at 6 p.m. Attendees are invited to participate in an afternoon of connection, celebration and community.

ECMO is a critical form of advanced life support used for patients experiencing severe heart or lung failure. UT Health East Texas is the only health system in the region offering ECMO, and the reunion offers survivors an opportunity to reconnect with the care teams who supported them through recovery.

“Our ECMO survivors are a remarkable testament to courage and resilience,” said Mario Padilla, MSN, APRN, AGACNP-BC, ECMO Program, Director. “This reunion allows us to honor their journeys, celebrate their strength and recognize the skilled teams who provide this advanced, lifesaving care.”

About UT Health East Texas
UT Health East Texas provides care to thousands of patients each year through an extensive regional network that includes nine hospitals, more than 90 clinics, the Olympic Plaza Tower, 13 regional rehabilitation facilities, two freestanding emergency centers, regional home health services, an EMS fleet of more than 65 ambulances and four helicopters, and a comprehensive eight-trauma center care network, including the region’s only Level 1 trauma facility.