Congratulations to Dr. Andrea Cruz on receiving the 2024 Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Award in Healthcare. Dr. Cruz is a professor in the department of pediatrics and specializes in emergency medicine and infectious diseases
This award recognizes an outstanding person who has increased awareness of healthcare issues affecting Hispanics and Houstonians and has enacted improvements. Dr. Cruz is a highly respected physician who has significantly impacted the lives of families in Houston, the United States and globally due to her clinical care and research in pediatric medical specialties of traumatic brain injury, mental health, tuberculosis and several bacterial infections.
“Dr. Andrea Cruz is a highly esteemed pediatrician whose clinical care and groundbreaking research in pediatric specialties of infectious diseases and emergency medicine—specifically including traumatic brain injury, mental health, tuberculosis (TB), and severe bacterial infections—have profoundly impacted the lives of families in Houston, across the U.S., and around the world,” said Dr. Lara Shekerdemian, Pediatrician-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. “The Department of Pediatrics is proud to call Andrea a colleague and friend!”
Dr. Cruz was nominated for this award by Dr. Keila Lopez, Associate Professor of Pediatric Cardiology, who serves on the Mayor of Houston’s Hispanic advisory Board as the only physician representative. Former recipients of this annual award include Dr. Flor Munoz from Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, Division Chief of Tropical Medicine.
Thank you to Dr. Cruz for your dedication to clinical care, research and advocacy efforts. Texas Children’s and the greater Houston community are grateful for your many contributions to healthcare as a whole.