Driscoll Children’s Hospital Physicians Enjoy Life in Corpus Christi, TX
Sponsored by: Driscoll Children's Hospital
A 15-minute car ride and a few meetings. That’s all it took to convince Dr. Jon Roberts to leave his lifelong home of New York in 2011 and move to the Coastal Bend region to begin working as a pediatric pulmonologist at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, TX.
As he made that initial drive from the airport, Roberts says he was “swept away by the beautiful view” of Corpus Christi Bay. Like countless newcomers before him, Roberts was captivated by the sand and surf, and the sight of so many people sailing, fishing, swimming, bird-watching and simply relaxing in the sunshine.
Dr. Jon Roberts
pediatric pulmonologist and director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Driscoll Children’s Hospital
Then, after seeing what makes the Coastal Bend such a great place to live, Roberts discovered what makes Driscoll Children’s Hospital a great place to work.
“When I started meeting the people at Driscoll, it was the best experience,” Roberts says. “There’s just a good feeling about this place, and that comes from the top down.”
It was a similar introduction for Dr. Marie Danielle LeBlanc. Born and raised in Canada, LeBlanc spent three years in Iowa before joining Driscoll in 2023 as a pediatric thoracic, general and trauma surgeon. She also was impressed by the region’s natural attractions, along with Driscoll’s natural compassion.
“Everyone at Driscoll works together as a team for the sake of the kids, which is just beautiful,” LeBlanc says. “That’s one of the many reasons why I love my job. It’s what drew me here and has kept me here.”
That, along with watching the sunrise over the water and walking with her dog along the Padre Island beach. “I moved here and realized what I’ve been deprived of all these years,” LeBlanc says. “There is just this incredible natural beauty here. It’s magical.”
Roberts says he especially appreciates the role hospital leadership has taken in growing the services Driscoll offers. These range from the creation of a Cystic Fibrosis Center (the only one south of San Antonio) in 2015, with Roberts serving as the director, to the expansion of outreach clinics that now extend from Victoria, Texas, to the north, to the Rio Grande Valley along the Mexico border.
Dr. Marie Danielle LeBlanc
pediatric thoracic, general and trauma surgeon at Driscoll Children’s Hospital
Even as they delight in the area’s outdoor sights, LeBlanc and Roberts agree that the most rewarding part of their time in the Coastal Bend takes place indoors, within the walls of Driscoll Children’s Hospital.
“A group of us will take a day trip to one of these clinics and treat families where they live,” Roberts says. “Driscoll is big enough that we’re really making a difference in the community but still small enough that everyone here knows each other, which really helps with camaraderie.”
“Making a difference in the lives of children and their families is extremely fulfilling,” LeBlanc says. “Children are little miracles. It’s amazing how well they usually do after a surgery. And as they recover, I get to see them and play with them every day. Who wouldn’t love that?”
For more information about Driscoll Children’s Hospital, visit driscollchildrens.org.
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