Officials from the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the UM Oxford campus hosted a celebration Oct. 30 on the front lawn of University Hospital to launch the Medical Center’s portion of the MomentUM campaign.
"For Mississippi’s Better Health: MomentUM," is to help fund the UMMC Cancer Institute, a new heart and vascular center, relocation and renovation of the existing children’s clinics, a medical research scholars program and distinguished chair endowments.
"The MomentUM campaign is an opportunity for our community to express its support for the programs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center," said Dr. Dan Jones, vice chancellor for health affairs. "Private giving is an important source of support for all successful health science centers.
"I am grateful for the generous support from many in our community and am confident we will have strong support in this public phase of our campaign."
The campaign focuses on goals, such as the Cancer Institute and endowed chairs and scholarships, that lay a foundation for growth in the years ahead, said Matt Isch, executive director of development at UMMC.
"We have fewer than 10 endowed chairs on campus that are fully funded," Isch said. "Our goals for the campaign include completing funding on some of the chairs that have already been established and establishing and funding several new ones in key areas.
"The Medical Center recognizes that if it is going to grow’ its student population and compete for the very best students in the state, it has to be able to offer competitive scholarship support."
Faculty and staff at the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children and Friends of Children’s Hospital are proud to be a part of the campaign at UMMC, said Suzan Thames, chair of board of directors for the Friends of Children’s Hospital and co-chair of the MomentUM campaign.
"Growth and expansion of the pediatric division at the Medical Center is vital to providing the very best in quality health care for Mississippi’s children and ensuring that we attract and retain the very best and most qualified physicians to practice in our state," she said. "Our Children’s Hospital has been blessed with the highest caliber of dedicated, committed and cutting-edge staff and physicians."
The celebration included music by the Benjamin Cone III Worship Choir and Kudzu Station.