The competition came about through the efforts of the VWCH Patient and Family Advisory Council, which serves as a bridge between the hospital and the community.

He served in many capacities in the department, including residency training director, medical director of the Psychiatric Hospital, division director, vice chair and interim chair.

Under Tharpe’s leadership, the department has maintained a remarkable trajectory of advancing clinical care for those with communication disorders.

“How much closer to an angel can you get than a little bitty baby struggling for life?” said Dean Driver, 91, who converted a panel truck into VUMC’s first neonatal transport in his driveway.

"The list of miracles is long," she says.

The study revealed overlapping genetic underpinnings between rhythm-related skills and language-related traits, including dyslexia.