The H.F. McCarty Foundation’s recent gift to the University of Mississippi Medical Center will help give the state’s cancer patients closer access to treatment supported by leading-edge research, which could result in more time with their loved ones.
The Jackson, Mississippi-based foundation continued its legacy of giving to a myriad of charities by supporting the construction of a new world-class home for the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute (CCRI).
“My grandparents designed the foundation to be focused on science, medicine, education and the arts. We felt that this gift would touch all those points,” said Leslie Baskin, secretary of the McCarty Foundation and owner of Leslie Baskin Designs. She’s the youngest granddaughter of Mary Ann and H.F. “Mac” McCarty who started the foundation in 1995.
The McCarty Foundation’s generous gift adds to support other donors have given UMMC’s largest capital campaign to date, which will fund construction of the five-story, 250,000-plus square-foot building. The new facility will provide a welcoming, artful, interdisciplinary space that enhances patient and family care, improves access and offers a seamless health care experience. Its state-of-the-art facilities will deliver the highest level of care and foster groundbreaking research, including clinical trials.
Baskin said the family wanted to continue the founders’ tradition of charitable giving as a longtime supporter of UMMC and many other charities, including Millsaps College, St. Andrews Episcopal School, the Methodist Rehab Research Center and the YMCA in Blue Ridge, North Carolina, where the founders met.
“We hope this gift will help keep our grandparents’ legacy alive, so people know a part of them is still giving back,” she said. “That’s really what they worked their whole life to do.”
McCarty Farms in Mississippi was a significant poultry producer that grew to become one of Mississippi’s largest employers with over 4,000 employees and contracts with hundreds of independent chicken farmers. In 1995, McCarty Farms was sold to Tyson Foods and the foundation was established.
“Mississippi has a significant problem ahead of us regarding our cancer issues. We lead the country in cancer mortality rates. Nearly one in six Mississippians unfortunately will die of cancer,” said Dr. Rodney Rocconi, CCRI director and Ergon Chair for Cancer Research, adding that in the three-state ArkLaMiss region, a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center doesn’t exist.
A key part of the campaign is providing a space that will support achieving NCI designation, which will enhance the center’s cancer research capabilities, lead to more breakthroughs and expand treatment options for patients.
Through this expansion in research, UMMC is helping pave the way for a healthier future for all Mississippians, said Rocconi.
“Studies show that patient outcomes are improved when the care is provided by an NCI-Designated Cancer Center,” Rocconi said. “Mississippians deserve to have access to that type of care.”
With everything under one roof, the new facility is designed to make visits easier for patients. Quick access from the parking garage and patient navigators will help patients get to appointments faster. A cancer resource center, a chapel and possibly an art gallery will be located on the main floor. Open to the public, it will be a place of solace, guidance and hope for patients and their families navigating a cancer diagnosis.
The CCRI campaign will enhance UMMC’s mission to provide compassionate, comprehensive care to patients across Mississippi, including those from underserved communities. The building will feature spaces for patient and family support groups, community events and continuing education classes for caregivers.
“Our patients deserve the best and to have a building that serves them in a better capacity will allow us to provide better access to patient care throughout the state, enabling us to see more patients and allowing them to flow through the system more smoothly,” said Dr. Carter Milner, professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology. “Hopefully, all of this will impact their patient care in a positive way.”
For more information about the CCRI capital campaign, visit abouttime.ms.
To support UMMC, visit http://www.umc.edu/givenow or contact Lauren Engle, director of special projects, at (601) 984-1123 or lengle@umc.edu.
By Bill Dabney/UM Foundation