Trisha Wilson knows a thing or two about building a legacy that will last for generations. As the founder of interior architectural design firm Trisha Associates, she has designed interiors for some of the world's most luxurious hotels, palaces, casinos, private residences, resorts — even 747s. More than 1 million five-star hotel rooms worldwide feature interiors dreamed up by Trisha and her team.

Trisha will leave a legacy right here in her hometown of Dallas, too, through a $5 million estate gift to establish the Trisha Wilson Distinguished Chair in Cardiology at Baylor University Medical Center. When this chair is created, it will support research, education and programmatic initiatives benefitting heart and vascular patients for many years to come.

"I know a lot of people donate to cardiology causes," Trisha said, "but I just don't think you can do enough. Heart disease is the biggest killer there is." Cardiovascular disease takes nearly 380,000 lives in the United States each year, and it is the No. 1 killer of women, according to the American Heart Association.

These aren't just statistics to Trisha. Both of her parents died from heart attacks. "My parents were Christian Scientists, so they didn't believe in going to the doctor," said Trisha, who didn't see a doctor for the first time until she was 25. "I do think their lifestyle contributed to their heart attacks." Also, someone very close to her has atrial fibrillation — a condition that can cause heart palpitations. A longstanding connection to Baylor

This estate gift is the latest in Trisha's history of giving to Baylor. Her support began in 1994. Although Trisha didn't recall exactly what prompted her to write that check, she is sure it was for a worthy purpose. "I would always give to something that resonated with me — even if it was just $10," she said.

Her giving and connection to Baylor have grown over the years, including gifts like her $250,000 gift for the Emergency Department at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas in 2008 in honor of close friend Leonard Riggs, M.D. "Leonard has been a friend of mine for years, and he's somebody I've admired and respected," Trisha says. "He's helped me over the years and has been a mentor, so when Baylor was expanding the emergency room, I gave in honor of him." Trisha also has served for many years on the Baylor Health Care System Foundation board.

"One thing that I love about Baylor is that they're so open to trying new things, like the canine program," she says, referring to Baylor's collaboration with Canine Companions for Independence®, which provides highly trained assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities. "I think Baylor is so innovative."

Giving away a meaningful percentage of her estate is important to Trisha. "I have godchildren and nieces and now I'll have a husband with children, but it's really important for me to give back. Even if I had children, I wouldn't leave it all to them — and wouldn't expect them to know what I would want them to do with my estate. It was also important for me to get this done now because you never know what's going to happen. You could get hit by a bus tomorrow!" Keeping people healthy here and abroad

Baylor isn't the only health facility that Trisha supports. Some 10,000 miles across the world, in a South African town called Vaalwater, hundreds of villagers receive medical care at a clinic that Trisha established. Many of the patients live in extreme poverty in an area where HIV, AIDS and tuberculosis are rampant.

"A project I finished 22 years ago in South Africa changed my life," Trisha says, referring to The Palace of the Lost City, a 5-star, 343-room resort that her firm designed. "There was no industry there at the time, and so we literally taught people how to do things." During her time in South Africa, she grew to love the country's people. So much so that she bought a home there — and built a school and health clinic.

"Every year I go back, and all these little kids, who are HIV-positive or HIV-vulnerable, or maybe their parents are not alive — I get to hear, 'We love you Mama Trisha.' I learned that education alone is great, but you have to take care of their health, too, or they aren't healthy enough to go to school," says Trisha, who also helped Oprah Winfrey build a school in South Africa.

Trisha's sincere sentiment for the welfare of others, both in South Africa and Dallas, truly reflects her abiding concern and generous spirit.