The Foundation at Mission Regional Medical Center
About 6 months ago, Evonne Lopez and I had a conversation regarding the need for this unit to serve the citizens of Hidalgo County. This led me to do my own research regarding the local incidence of violent crimes, such as rape and aggravated assault. This is what I learned: Texas law enforcement agencies reported an average of 339 violent crimes per day last year. This daily average accounts for 4 Murders, 22 Forcible Rapes, and 209 Aggravated Assaults in the Lone Star State. Statistically, about 10 of these violent crimes occur in Hidalgo County—and that’s just what is reported to law enforcement….
The following week, Evonne informed me 7 people came to our Emergency Department for seeking treatment related to domestic violence and sexual abuse over the weekend. Of the 7 people, three were children. I shared this information with my Board of Trustees, and they agreed this unit deserved to be a funding priority for The Foundation. I also shared this information with Gene Shipley of Valley Nuclear and Rio Grande Valley Harley-Davidson.
Thankfully, Yvonne Salinas and Cuquis Cerda took this anecdotal evidence of community need home, and got this issue on the agenda for the Mission City Council Meeting. At the same time, Gene says could not stop thinking about what I’d told him; he decided he simply had to do something about this problem. I told him how much money was needed to make the unit a reality, and he wrote a check for that amount to construct and furnish what has been named The S.A.F.E. Place at Mission Regional Medical Center.
The City of Mission and Mission Police Department also dedicated resources to the unit, so that we could purchase a critical piece of crime-fighting equipment: the Secure Digital Forensic Imaging Camera. And the Mission Regional Health Professionals Association donated special funds to provide for secure records storage.
On behalf of The Foundation at Mission Regional Medical Center, my Board of Trustees, and every member of community, I want to thank Mayor Norberto Salinas, Mission Police Chief Leo Longoria, City Manager Julio Cerda, the Mission City Council, Mr. Gene Shipley of Valley Nuclear and Rio Grande Valley Harley-Davidson, and the Mission Regional Health Professionals Association for their commitment to the Forensic Unit, and for their contributions, without which, the unit would not have been possible.
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