CANTU FAMILY OPENS NEW SAN JUAN MEDICAL CLINIC
By G. Romero Wendorf
SAN JUAN – If the family patriarch has a school named after him in PSJA – Arnoldo Cantu Sr. Elementary – it’s a pretty safe bet to say that the Cantu family has deep roots in this community.
“It’s the main reason we decided to open our pediatric clinic here in 2007,” says Cantu’s son, Roel Esteban Cantu, “as opposed to any other city. This is the city in which my siblings and I grew up, and it’s the same city in which my wife, Nelda, and I decided to raise our own family. To say that the Cantus are a part of San Juan, and San Juan is a part of us, would certainly be a very true statement. ”
Now to add to the Cantu family’s deep roots in San Juan, the pediatrician with the friendly smile and the calm demeanor, known to put children at ease, is set to open a new family medical clinic right next door to his pediatric practice -- the Upper Valley Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care Clinic, which is located next to Rio Bank between FM 495 and I Rd. (411 FM 495). And to help with the expansion, he has his wife by his side.
“We decided to call it the Cantu Family Medical Clinic,” says Nelda Cantu, “just as a way of expressing to the community how much San Juan has meant to this family over the years.”
All told, the elder Cantu, Arnoldo Sr., the man who became a lifelong educator after he returned from two tours of duty – in both WWII and the Korean Conflict– raised six children, four boys and two girls, with his beloved wife of many years, Angelita. All of whom became successes in their own right.
Arnoldo Cantu Sr. was known for his insistence that any child could succeed given the right motivation and encouragement. And over the years, that’s what he became known for around San Juan and the PSJA school district – the guy who wouldn’t give up on any kid, no matter who they were, rich or poor, the kid with little self-esteem or the football star who lacked motivation to succeed past high school. In the mind of the elder Cantu, and that of his wife who stood by his side through 59 years of marriage, every human being had meaning, had worth.
In his off time from school work – Cantu Sr. rose through the ranks to become one of the district’s top administrators.
Today, the circle of life continues to spin. Arnoldo Cantu Sr. passed away in 2010, but his son’s pediatric clinic and soon-to-be family medical clinic are just a stone’s throw from the old San Juan gin, where the pediatrician spent many an hour working in the ag industry alongside his dad and siblings.
“My dad’s idea of fun and relaxation was to go out in the hot sun and plant crops, pull crops, pull weeds,” you name it, says Dr. Roel Cantu. “Ask my brothers and sisters, and they’ll all tell you, we were raised on hard work. My dad taught us how one could meld their hands with their mind and be truly happy.”
It all comes back to family. And in this case, in particular, the Cantu family. We think it’s a testament to how deep our family roots run in the city of San Juan and the communities around us, and we wanted the new family clinic’s name to reflect that bond.
The old San Juan gin, by the way, is the same site on which now sits Rio Bank. And the Cantu home, not far from that.
Together, Roel and Nelda have raised three children of their own, two sons and one daughter. Two are following their dad’s lead, becoming physicians, while the third has already graduated college, but is still considering which post-graduate route to pursue.
“We’ve been so blessed,” says Nelda, who retired last year as one of PSJA ISD’s top administrators after spending 31 years with the district, but is now working by her husband’s side, helping manage both the pediatric clinic -- the Upper Valley Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care Clinic – and the soon-to-be new family clinic – The Cantu Family Medical Clinic.
“We had some discussions about what to name the new family clinic,” says Dr. Roel Cantu, “but in the end, we decided, you know what, it all comes back to family. And in this case, in particular, the Cantu family. We think it’s a testament to how deep our family roots run in the city of San Juan and the communities around us, and we wanted the new family clinic’s name to reflect that bond.”
As an added plus, the new Cantu Family Medical Clinic, located immediately adjacent to the pediatric clinic, will serve its patients in synergistic fashion.
“It’s true,” says Nelda. “We’ve had so many parents over the years ask us do we know of a good family provider? And sure, we have friends who are indeed good family providers, but how much easier will it be to say, sure, we have one right next door. It makes it convenient for the families we serve”
And together, the Cantus, Roel and Nelda, seem to make a great team.
“I’m very proud of my husband,” says Nelda, “proud of what he’s accomplished, and I’m excited to now be more involved in our private business since I retired from the school district. And we are both excited about our plans to open up this new family medical clinic in the city of San Juan, which will serve both city residents and those from the entire PSJA community, as well as from other surrounding cities. The Valley has grown so much, we’re almost like one big metropolis now. We treat pediatric patients from all over the area, and I think it will prove to be the same for the new family practice.”
The new Cantu Family Medical Clinic is expected to open in the next several weeks. For more information, call 787-5303.