On a warm spring evening on May 6, friends, donors, and leaders gathered in the O’Quinn Medical Tower at the McNair Campus of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston Texas.
The occasion was a donor reception hosted by St. Luke’s Foundation to celebrate the generosity of a community of donors who had supported the hospital’s previous “Health, Hope, and Human Spirit Campaign”. These supporters were being recognized on a new donor wall that was unveiled at the event.
“Each name etched on this wall represents a profound act of kindness and a belief in our mission to provide exceptional care to our community,” said Ken Carlson, then director of mission for Baylor St. Luke’s, as he offered a blessing when the wall was revealed. “These are the individuals and organizations who stepped forward with vision and generosity, understanding that their contributions would have a lasting impact on countless lives.”
But this was not just another donor event.
Celebrating the past, present, and future
In front of the newly christened wall stood a triumvirate of leaders: Howard Tellepsen, the foundation’s first board chair; Stan Marek, the immediate past chair; and Will Cravens, who assumed the mantle at the start of the 2026 fiscal year. With decades of volunteer service to the community, the trio represents continuity, commitment — and a bold new chapter at St. Luke’s Health.
United in purpose, these three community leaders joined together to share their commitment for the common good as they announced a combined $2 million+ in pledges from the Marek family, the Tellepsen family and the Scanlan Foundation. These gifts will support oncology at Baylor St. Luke’s , as well as a new chapel in Tower 1 on the McNair Campus.
“We are so grateful for these new gifts in support of our chapel project,” said hospital president Bradley Lembcke, MD. “Our philanthropic partners are helping build a beautiful, spiritual space in which patients and their families can pray and reflect, and I look forward to seeing it take shape over the next year.”
The new chapel will serve as a sanctuary — a place for patients, families, and caregivers to find peace, reflection, and strength.
These generous commitments are also deeply rooted in a larger, ambitious vision. The chapel stands among several vital developments currently underway with three transformative projects: Baylor St. Luke’s McNair Campus is relaunching inpatient rehabilitation services and expanding patient capacity, while the original hospital on Bertner is undergoing renovations.
More than health care — human care
As the expansion of surgical care floors at McNair begins and the ongoing renovation of the Bertner campus advances, there is a renewed sense that St. Luke’s health system is growing toward an even more compassionate, whole-person model of care. The spiritual refuge of the chapel will be part of that holistic approach, complementing the advances in medical service, patient comfort, and community outreach.
“Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center is home to some of the most groundbreaking advancements in health care and we are excited about setting the stage to advance our legacy of research, innovation and excellence,” said Brad Lembcke, MD, president of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center. “These projects are fueled by CommonSpirit’s long-range strategy of local growth through investment in the communities in which we serve, ensuring patients have access to quality whole-person care that is close to home.”
By stepping forward together, Howard, Stan, and Will send a message: the legacy of St. Luke’s Foundation is not static, but living — anchored in gratitude for what has been built, energized by what is being built now, and confident in what is yet to come. Their pledges do not merely fund oncology care and a chapel — they demonstrate humankindness and commitment to care for the future generations of patients, families and caregivers who will walk those halls.
The gathering of past, current, and future leaders is a reminder that individuals united by a common mission can make a real difference. With their philanthropic support, the legacy of healing at St. Luke’s will now include a sacred space that offers solace in times of suffering and honors life’s most intimate stories.
