Dr. Matthew Chumpol Mireles

Dr. Matthew Mireles passed away peacefully August 31, 2013 after a long battle with metastatic colorectal cancer. His journey peacefully ended, and a humble life well-considered according to his dearest longstanding friend Sally Reynolds was quietly extinguished. Matthew Mireles was born in Bangkok, Thailand, August 6, 1964, as the third and youngest of three sons of his mother who was widowed shortly after he was born. His beloved mother Teresa married US Army sergeant Andrew Mireles who adopted Matthew and his brothers. Matthew is survived by his mother Teresa, his stepfather Andrew, his older brothers Paul, Bob, half-brother Peter and half-sister Theresa. He is also survived by his nephews Travis, Joseph, Jacob, and niece Dayna. In 1971, Matthew moved from Bangkok to central Texas where he was raised. His childhood was best described as well disciplined, regimented, nurtured and mostly uneventful. He was an exceptionally adventurous, curious and creative child and teenager. Loved by his classmates and teachers, he was an exemplary student who excelled academically and socially. During these formative years, he was a quiet natural leader who enjoyed exploring nature, charcoal, ink and pencil sketching on any paper he could find, learning esoteric subjects in history and science, tutoring other students, and doing community service projects, while maintaining high grades in school and completing daily chores at home. Matthew attended C. E. Ellison High School in Killeen, Texas where he was accepted in the talented and gifted program in academic excellence, enrolled in accelerated advanced courses in science and math, and graduated seventh among all seniors May 1983. His high school leadership roles included historian and parliamentarian of the National Honor Society, vice president and secretary of Key Club International, and team leader of UIL Forensic League. Matthew earned the coveted Eagle lettered jacket in debate and extemporaneous speaking competitions—a major personal feat for an extremely modest and shy teen ager who listed public speaking as his worst phobia. With invitation and acceptance for enrollment at a number of universities, he matriculated at Texas A&M University, College Station, 1983 in the new biomedical engineering program of the College of Engineering. During this time, he was awarded the US Army USMEDDAC Fellowship in Bioengineering and worked at Darnall Army Community Medical Center, Fort Hood, TX, during summer terms and holiday breaks. With the fellowship program, scholarships, and on-campus work, he was able to independently finance his college education. While an undergraduate student, he worked in the Office of Public Affairs and School Relations where he was quickly promoted to training campus tour guides. He was actively involved in student programs and leadership development at the Memorial Student Center as council assistant, Residence Hall Association member and resident of Walton Hall. He was a proud member of the independent fraternity The Aggie Men's Club and A&M Alumni Association. He was selected mentor and facilitator the A&M Honors Program and twice as Fish Camp counselor for student summer orientation. He chaired various student programming committees, including the International Programs Committees, which became the Jordan Institute for Cultural Awareness. He was instrumental in working directly with the late Mrs. Jessie Jordan and the Leland Jordan Estate in the acquisition and curatorship of the Jordan's private art collection for Texas A&M, still on display at the Memorial Student Center. Jordan, Class of '34, was the first American to be knighted by the British Empire for creating the British Petroleum Company in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Mastering time management and organization of his other education and leadership development at Texas A&M, he completed his engineering degree program on time and earned his bachelor in science in biomedical engineering in 1987. Matthew was accepted into the US Navy's Aviation Officer Candidate School, Naval Air Station Pensacola in 1989. He was commissioned reserved naval officer and attended flight school as student flight navigator at the same naval station. While in Pensacola, he was attached to the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute and conducted research in chronobiology and adaptation of long-haul transmeridian flights and high-attitude, high-velocity ejection survival. He served his remaining commission in the US Naval Reserve in Texas. Resuming his career as a biomedical engineer, he accepted employment at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, John Sealy Hospital Department of Anesthesia and Operating Rooms he supervised technicians in a biomedical shop and worked with anesthesia residents, faculty and staff in clinical care and research. He helped develop a learning course and certification for anesthesia technicians and taught several modules in the program, while he was enrolled in the graduate program in preventive medicine and community health. In Galveston, he enjoyed living in and remodeling the last historical house designed by architect Nicholas Clayton in the historic East End. In 1994, Matthew moved to Houston to attend the graduate program in public health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. In 1996, he earned his master of public health in occupational health and safety and aerospace medicine. His M.P.H. thesis involved the study of near-miss reports from pilots and air traffic controllers recorded in the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System. He posited that near-miss reports in healthcare settings may be used to study the safety culture and environment of health organizations. Also, in 1996 he completed his internship program with the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission, leading the investigation of fatal work-related trauma among Hispanic workers. He continued his academic pursuits in a doctoral degree program at the same institution. As a graduate student, his leadership and administrative acuity were further developed and refined. He was elected president of the student governance organization and student body in Houston. From a large pool of qualified student leaders from nine academic institutions and six health institutions of UT, Matthew was appointed special student advisor to The University of Texas System Chancellor and Board of Regents. He was elected chair of the prestigious The University of Texas System Student Advisory Council to represent all students enrolled in the UT System and offer his opinions and recommendations relevant to issues concerning higher education and student life to the Chancellor and Board of Regents. Matthew was named the first research fellow of the Vale-Asche Foundation and fellow of the Medicine/Public Health Initiative. He led many noteworthy student initiatives that have become institutionalized. Such programs included Salutation, an all-school welcome reception for new students; the MediSend Project, an institutional medical surplus recovery effort; the annual healthcare team competition, a problem-based interdisciplinary team approach and model; and the first permanent student endowment for scholarship with the UT Investment Company, with a corpus exceeding $120,000 today. In May 2004, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Community Health Services with major concentration in epidemiology and minor in biostatistics. His doctorate involves a specialty in the research of trauma and occupational injury. His doctoral dissertation examined the pattern and distribution and diagnostic accuracy of occupational eye trauma at one urban hospital. After graduation, he joined Community Medical Foundation for Patient Safety as vice president for research, directing the Foundation's research agenda and programs. Matthew accepted the position and title of President and CEO of the Foundation in 2007 and led many of the research projects as principal investigator. His notable research accomplished included the study of unused and expired medicines (UEM) with the creation of the first national registry for unwanted medicines, a new screening method for concussion using noninvasive measurement of fine motor control, and the comparison of operational safety culture in commercial aviation and health care. Matthew was grateful for the opportunity to work with, learn from, and know his great mentor and friend Elizabeth A. Smith, Ph.D., Founder of Community Medical Foundation for Patient Safety. Dr. Smith developed and trademarked the organizational concept Community of Competence™, which Matthew applied to many of his research projects and published papers. Matthew served as preceptor and supervisor for many research interns and fellows. He held a faculty appointment at the University of St. Thomas, where he taught a popular course on global health at the Center of Excellence, Center for International Studies. He was a frequent invited guest lecturer and content expert on the topic of public health, global health, traumatic injury and patient safety. Houston was his home, and Matthew was active on many boards, including the United Nations Association, the UNA International Choir, Museum of Health Science Young Professionals, UT Houston Student InterCouncil Alumni Association, Sigma Xi Rice University-Texas Medical Center. Dr. Mireles was president of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. He was also a graduate of Houston Leadership and was listed in the Houston Social Directory. He was a member of the American Society on Quality and served as the editor for the Health Care Division. His membership also included the System Safety Engineers, Council on Occupational Safety and Health, American Public Health Association, and Society of Epidemiological Researchers. He was a lifetime member of the Memorial Marine Club and was a member of the Doctors' Club, Houston Petroleum Club and Pelican Club in Galveston. He attended St. Vincent De Paul and was a member of the chapel's choir, tenor section. Matthew enjoyed travel, art, antiques, international cuisine as much as his scientific research, students, interns and fellows. He was a gifted artist, thoughtful leader and team member and always a caring mentor and friends to many. He boasted that he had never met a stranger, and learned from everyone he met, from longshoremen, anesthesia technicians, medical residents, and nurses to top-gun aviators, research experts and Nobel Laureates. He credited his good fortune and success to his teachers, mentors and role models who believed a shy little boy from Thailand has the potential and ambition to change the world and pay it forward so that others can enjoy similar privileges and achieve their ambition. The Mireles Family extends a special gratitude to Drs. Krina Patel, Marc Hoffman, Jeanette Ferrer, and Natalie Vanek who gave compassionate care and support for their son. The Family acknowledges and thanks the Lefeber Family, particularly Mr. Donald James Lefeber who patiently and trustingly provided adjuvant and palliative care through complementary and alternative medicine. The Family sincerely appreciates the immense support and kindness shown by close friends Drs. John Stroehlein, and Charles and Elizabeth Smith who treated Matthew as one of their own. Finally, the Family could not thank Mr. Jack Sullivan enough for his indispensable assistance, generosity and dedication during Matthew's illness. Matthew considered Mr. Sullivan as his "big brother" and best friend. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to Community Medical Foundation for Patient Safety in his memory, c/o Dr. Elizabeth A. Smith/, 6300 West Loop South, Suite 288, Bellaire, Texas, 77401.