Current Issue
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
I’m so excited to enter our third year of bringing Richardson Life Magazine to you! Before we begin, I want to correct an error I made in our December 2024 issue. Gerald Bright, a true champion for Richardson, was actually a member of his high school’s class of 1980. I incorrectly listed his high school graduation year as 1981. Facts matter and we always strive to get them right!
To start the new year, we’re talking about the important topic of health and wellness. We introduce you to Dr. Michael Kilgard and his peers at the Texas Biomedical Device Center. They’re doing groundbreaking work in the field of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to improve recovery from serious psychiatric or neurological conditions. It’s inspiring and groundbreaking work.
Getting to interview our COR Fire Chief Curtis Poovey was great fun despite the seriousness of his work. I am also excited for you to meet Ariel Gunn, owner of Yoga Chikitsa, who graces the cover of our February issue. Ariel’s enthusiasm for yoga and other wellness offerings is contagious. You’ll also meet a group of senior softball players who keep winning tournaments like they were teenagers!
In addition to celebrating individuals, we’re spotlighting West Coast University’s stellar medical education program and sharing how the Methodist Richardson Medical Center Foundation is supporting the expansion of MRMC’s surgical facilities and asking for community support to fund the expansion.
The Richardson Family YMCA is our February nonprofit as it’s truly not just a place to get fit, but also a place to discover the joy of community, regardless of age. From toddlers on the soccer field to older citizens working out and enjoying coffee and a visit, the Y has so many wonderful opportunities for engagement.
I’m excited for you to discover these stories and many more in the pages of this Health and Wellness issue of Richardson Life Magazine. And, as always, we hope you’ll show your financial support to the advertisers who make this magazine a reality by shopping, dining and investing locally. Keeping your dollars in Richardson throughout the year grows our economy and keeps Richardson strong.
Happy February!
Patti Otte
Patti Otte
Editor in Chief
Featured Story
Trending
Richardson Movers and Shakers
Healing The Future
Innovation and Impact at UTD’s Texas Biomedical Device Center
By Patti Otte
When Mike Kilgard was young. he spent a lot of time in nature and called the water near his house the “bayou” It was little more than a drainage ditch, but it abounded with fish, turtles, snakes. insects and birds and the experience of growing up near “the bayou” sparked within him a lifelong curiosity about the natural world and all its wonders. States Kilgard. “Every day I was there. I would see something different and learn something new. My mom was a teacher and my dad was an engineer and both encouraged my interest in unsupervised exploration.”
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