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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Christina Esperat has been honored by the YWCA of |
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Lubbock with a Women of Excellence Award for her remarkable |
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achievements in the field of medicine, and her selection for this |
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tribute is most fitting; and |
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WHEREAS, The Women of Excellence Award was created in 1989 to |
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emphasize the vital roles that women play in both the civic and |
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professional worlds, honoring women for their achievements and for |
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their contributions to the community as leaders and volunteers; and |
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WHEREAS, Vision, innovation, and partnership building are |
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personal attributes that Dr. Christina Esperat has used to help |
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transform education for Texas Tech University nursing students and |
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bring quality health care to all segments of the population; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in the Philippines, Dr. Esperat earned |
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bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing at Silliman University, |
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where she served as assistant professor before moving to the United |
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States in 1973; she completed her Ph.D. at The University of Texas |
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in 1990; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 2001, Dr. Esperat has been a professor and |
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associate dean for research and practice for the Texas Tech |
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University Health Sciences Center Anita Thigpen Perry School of |
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Nursing, where she has established partnerships with other |
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educational disciplines, entities, and businesses to create a more |
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successful and productive model of learning and serving; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Esperat was instrumental in earning a Federally |
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Qualified Health Center Look-Alike designation for the Larry |
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Combest Community Health and Wellness Center (LCCHWC); based in |
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East Lubbock and operated by the School of Nursing, the LCCHWC |
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delivers primary care through nurse practitioners to an |
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economically depressed community that is more than 60 percent |
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minority; recognizing specific needs in the population, Dr. Esperat |
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also organized the Diabetes Education Center and Senior House Calls |
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programs that operate out of the center; and |
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WHEREAS, Area residents have benefited greatly from Dr. |
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Esperat's commitment to bringing affordable and accessible medical |
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services to Lubbock; she has secured more than $10 million for the |
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LCCHWC and for grants to fund research by the School of Nursing on |
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childhood obesity and to implement two community-based projects: |
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the Patient Navigator Program, designed to deliver preventive |
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health education through community health workers, and the Nurse |
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Family Partnership for underserved women who are pregnant for the |
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first time; and |
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WHEREAS, A staunch advocate for improved health care access, |
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Dr. Esperat helped to create the East Lubbock Coalition for |
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Community Health Improvement, a partnership between Copper |
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Rawlings Community and Senior Center, Harwell Elementary School, |
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and the LCCHWC; and |
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WHEREAS, This notable Texan has also shared her talent and |
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organizational skill to better her profession and support health |
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care initiatives; in addition to her work as chair of the board of |
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directors for the National Nursing Centers Consortium, she has been |
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a member of advisory boards for the South Plains March of Dimes, the |
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Triangle AIDS Network in Beaumont, the Center for Rural Health |
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Initiatives in Austin, and the Coastal Area Health Education Center |
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in La Marque; and |
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WHEREAS, With her receipt of a Women of Excellence Award, |
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Christina Esperat joins an elite group of women who have been |
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honored by the YWCA of Lubbock; distinguished by her intelligence, |
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determination, and talent, she is indeed a worthy role model for |
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this and future generations; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby congratulate Christina Esperat on receiving a 2009 Women of |
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Excellence Award from the YWCA of Lubbock and extend to her sincere |
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best wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Esperat as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |